Is it Love: Hermione's story
by mintyblues
Summary: Summer time, 11-year-old Hermione gets a sealed letter from a school unheard of. She doesn't know yet, but when she accepts the invitation to attend Hogwarts, her life was going to change, forever. An unrefined but genuine coming to age story.
1. The Letter

**Author's notes as of 13 Nov 2009:**

Dear god! It's been years since I've even thought about checking out my old fanfiction. If there are still people out there who are (miraculously) reading this, I apologize for the horrible writing in the first few chapters (and plenty of grammatical mistakes throughout). It's so embarrassing that it doesn't reflect my current writing style any longer. But I also apologize for not wanting to edit the story in any way. I want to keep my past the way it is, and keep the story genuine. The writing may be messy... but I know that I wrote it with all my heart. I hope you still enjoy it, and please review if you do!

love, M.

* * *

**Formly known as Hermione Granger Is it Love? Story  
on the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Dialogue Center - Rumor Monger**

**Summary:** _Summer time, 11-year-old Hermione gets a sealed letter from a school unheard of. She doesn't know yet, that when she accepts the invitation to attend Hogwarts, her normal life was going to change, forever. An unrefined but genuine coming to age story. Storyline loosely follows first four Harry Potter books. Generally non-canon pairings._

_**

* * *

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**I The Letter  
**  
July the 15th, Hermione Granger was preparing to go to one of the most famous school in England, Paul Winston's School. She flipped through her chemistry book, hoping to memorize everything before school starts.

"Hermy dear, come down and get your letter, won't you? It's from your pen pal Linda!" Mrs Irine Granger called from the stairs.

At the moment Hermione heard Linda's name, she ran down the steps excitedly, her chocolate brown eyes gleaming with joy, her long bushy brown hair flowing freely behind her. "Where is it, mom? Where's Linda's letter?" she asked, out of breathe.

"Here it is silly girl," Mrs. Granger smiled at her 11 years old daughter as she passed her the letter.

Hermione took the cute pink envelope from her mother and started to rip it open. "And here is another one, from a place called Hogwarts, I knew you applied a lot of schools to be sure you'll be in one, but I wonder where THAT school is," she gave the skyblue-colored envelope to Hermione, leaving her to read the letters alone.

Hermione stood there in the hallway and started reading her letter from Linda Moraine, her bosom friend since 9 years old.

_Dear Hermy,  
Hi Hermy! How are you doing? It's been a while since we last met. Here  
in California I am preparing for school, which is a boring thing to  
do._

Linda hates school work, just the opposite the Hermione.

_ I really miss you and everyone from school, I have some new friends  
here now and they are really nice but I still can't forget the times  
we had together. Remember the time we picked berries on the way home  
from school?  
_  
"Oh yes I do. I remember Linda and me being spanked by our moms because we stole other people's berries! After that I swore never to do things that are wrong." Hermione smiled in her thoughts.

_Well now I'm always thinking about those days we played so merrily  
TOGETHER. I hope we can meet again someday._

__

Wish you good luck in the new school, WINSTON'S SCHOOL! Wow!

With All My Love, Linda

Hermione smiled heartily, "I've got to write a reply at once!" she thought.

As she was writing her reply to Linda, she noticed the other envelope she got from a place called Hogwarts, that's what her mom said.

"Hmm...did I apply for this school?"

She looked at the back of the envelope. It was stamped with red wax in the middle, and there was a beautiful school badge with four animals drawn on it: A lion, a raven, a snake and a badger.

"That's cute! What kind of a school would use animals for a badge!" she exclaimed. She was getting interested in this letter.

A sentence was written under the animals, "DRACO DORMIENS NUNQUAM TITILLANDUS" "I wonder what language THAT is," Hermione felt puzzled, "is this letter really for me?" She read the address written on front:

_ Hermione Granger  
The bedroom facing the Haden Sea  
1320 Greens' Road  
Haden City  
England_

"This letter IS for me," she thought, "but what a queer way to write an address. How did they know I sleep in this bedroom? Weird address."

Surely, Hermione's bedroom was facing the beautiful sparkling sea, she can hear the seagulls screaming and the waves splashing, it was a wonderful summer day.

Hermione read through the letter. Her eyes got bigger and bigger as she read down the letter, her eyes got bigger and bigger as she read each sentence. 'Magic'? 'Wizardry'? 'Witchcraft'? WHAT IS THIS? She ran down the stairs once again, confused.

"Mom! Mom!" She screamed, "What IS this?"

"What's the matter, my dear?" Irine Granger looked at her with concern in her eyes, she had never seen her daughter messing around in this kind of matter.

"Mommy you should read this! This...this...is impossible!" Hermione was still screaming, hands trembling, as she passed the mysterious letter to her mother. Irine Granger read through the letter, making the same big eyes expression as Hermione did, and fainted.

"Mom!" Hermione grabbed her mother's waist before she fell to the floor, then a familiar voice rang through the hall, "I'm back! Irine? Herm?" George Granger, Hermione's father, the town's famous dentist, walked into the hall heaving his exhausted body.

"You remember Mr. Jones? I couldn't believe it! He actually came to see me! You remember how he hated to see dentists?" he closed the door, still talking about his day at work. Turning around, he saw his daughter holding his wife in her arms.

Surprised with the extraordinary scene, he dropped his suitcase to the floor. All the paperwork inside it flew out making the hallway look like a rubbish dump.

"Hermione? What happened?" George Granger was astonished. Hermione had been quiet all the time when her father was talking and shouting because her mother was too heavy for her. George ran to his daughter and picked up his wife as if she was as light as a feather and brought her up the stairs to their bedroom with Hermione following in behind.

"What can I do to help?" she asked as she opened the master bedroom door for her father. Inside the room was a sweet aroma of roses which Irine had prepared for George when he came home. "She always does that, "George sighed as he carefully laid Irine on their king-sized bed. "Hermione," George stated as he scratched his head, "all you can do to help is to tell me what had happened down there. What did you see? A cockroach? Spiders? Or an alien?" he joked.

Hermione looked tired, she replied, "It's not funny daddy, it's a serious problem. I got this today." She handed him the letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

George Granger read the letter, it was only a few sentences, and then he sighed and said, "This is all nonsense, how could there be a school like that? There's no real magic in this world! It's just some kind of rubbish people who have lots of time to waste will send to others. Or maybe it's just a school to train magician's on stage."

George laughed, "And your mother faint because of this?" Hermione nodded.

Once again George Granger sighed, "Come on girl. Throw this away and go and prepare supper. I'll look after your mom."

Hermione closed the room door and looked down at the letter in her hands. "Is it really just nonsense?" She had a strange feeling that that wasn't true...

* * *

The second morning Irine was cooking in the kitchen. A sweet smell of pancakes floated out of the open kitchen door. Flipping the pancakes over, she called, "Hermy! Can you help me get the letters? I'm busy working on these pancakes!"

There was a minute of pause, then a creak of a door upstairs. Hermione rubbed her eyes as she yawned, "Ahhh...I'm coming mom...I'm coming."

Down the stairs she went, walking unsteadily through the hallway to the front door. She opened it, a sprinkle of sunlight sprayed on her. Hermione stood there for a moment, her eyes adjusting to the warm light. Birds were chirping on the trees in her garden. The sky overhead was a beautiful blue and the sea sparkled in the distance.

"I'm really going to miss home when I leave for Winston School." She thought as she opened the postbox. She took out the letters and looked at the names written in front, "Is there a letter for me today?"

There were a few letters for dad; probably from the government or his clients. A letter from Aunt Pie living in the L.A., this must be for mommy. And... the sky-blue letter from Hogwarts again.

Hermione, puzzled, went back into the house. She went into the kitchen and handed her parents their letters. George Granger was reading the morning paper while Irene Granger placed plates of

"Oh, thanks, Herm. Hmm...this must be from Mr. Portman." George said, "I believe you didn't get the silly letter today?"

"Err...actually..."

"Ohhhh! Dear me, it's a letter from my sister!" Hermione was interrupted by her mother, "I am glad she is okay over there in LA, I was afraid that she'd feel lonely over there!"

Her mother went on talking about the letter from aunt Pie and her father didn't wait for Hermione to make a reply and said, "I knew it was just a joke! Did you know my dear that the letter said it will send one more letter to you today because you are a ..er...muggle?...muggy? What ever that means, and now there's nothing like that! I knew it was all nonsense!"

"My goddness, George, you are still talking about that letter?" Irine Granger looked surprise, "I cannot believe I fainted for such nonsense yesterday!"

The two Grangers laugh aloud, "What nonsense it was!"

"I couldn't believe I believed it for a second!"

"And did you think..."

"But it did come!" Hermione screamed. She had to because her parents were laughing so loudly.

There was a minute of silence. The only thing heard was the sound of the leaves moving in the wind outside.

George was the first to break the silence, "What came? My darling.?"

"The letter, dad. The letter you were just talking about. And it seems it's not only for me. It's written here on the face of the letter - _Mr. George Granger, Mrs. Irine Granger, and Miss Hermione Granger_..."

George scratched his head. That was one of the gestures he did when he was tired. He looked up at his beautiful daughter and sighed. "Okay girl, read me the letter."

He decided to listen to what the letter wants to say.

_Dear Miss Granger,  
_  
"Now how did they know you would be the one to read?" George asked.

"Magic," said Hermione, she was starting to believe.

We are pleased to inform you that you have been one of the chosen ones in muggles, that is, people who have no magic powers, to have a little magic in you.

"That is the answer to your question of what are muggles, daddy," Hermione was enjoying the letter. George Granger winced a bit, and Irine sighed as she sat down.

_We believe you think all these letters we are sending you are nonsense  
and that you have no such ability to learn magic powers even at this  
school, for that is what most muggle families think. The Hogwarts  
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry does exist. We want to inform you  
that a lot of muggles do graduate from our school to become wise  
wizards and witches, and that you are not the only one to be a muggle-  
born student in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

__

For more inquires and information about the school and your required  
school equipment, please contact the Ministry of Magic. The pass way  
to the Ministry for Haden City muggle citizens is:

The wall with the safety road sign for children  
The General Post Office  
Haden City  
England.

Bring this letter with you to the pass way.

We wish to see you on the 1st of September with all the other first  
year students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Vice Principal, Minerva McGonagall

Hermione wanted to go and see. She tried to convince her parents to let her go. Irine Granger gave in the moment her daughter said she wanted to go. But George Granger opposed to the idea of going to the pass way.

"I have no time for this nonsense!"

"But Dad!" Hermione pleaded, "It is Wednesday! The Clinic's weekly holiday! Please..?" She wanted to know. She wanted to solve the mystery of the letters from Hogwarts.

"Err..." he had no good reply to that at the moment.

"Please?" Hermione tried once more.

"Oh alright," He gave in, "but only once, okay?"

"Yeah!" Hermione jumped up and down uncontrollably.

THEY WERE GOING TO THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC!

If it really exists...

* * *

"The Wall with the safety road sign for children," Hermione read out loud from the letter, "Does that mean this?" She pointed at one of the walls of the General Post Office.

"Ah... Yeah...I guess so," her yawning father replied, "Have you seen enough, girl? There's no so-called-pass way here, is there?" he laughed, "Let's go now."

Hermione felt horrible. She hadn't think that there would be no passway. Or maybe she hadn't think that there WAS one. But standing in front of a wall that is just a wall and nothing else, she couldn't think what to do next. She felt so dumb. But she still wanted to believe what the letter said were true.

She touched the wall, kicked the wall, looked for secret buttons, pleaded it the open up or something, but nothing happened.

"Come on lady, don't waste our time. Let's go home," George said happily as he came out of the post office, posting a letter of his.

He pulled Hermione by the arm and put his arm on her shoulder, taking her away from the wall. Hermione was so upset, "If only there was a book or something to tell me what to do..."

Suddenly an idea flashed past her mind.

"God! Daddy! I forgot!" She screamed.

"What Hermione? Forgot what?" Mr. Granger questioned in confusion.

Hermione ignored her father's shouting and flipped open the letter from Hogwarts.

"Here! I knew it would be like this!" Hermione screamed out excitedly.

It was the queerest sight for a muggle. The letter was the one written from Hogwarts a minute before, now; there were only 8 figures in it!

_ "YOUR NAME?"_

"What should I do dad? Look!" Hermione was EXTREMELY excited.

She shook her father so hard that he shouted, "Wow! That hurts! How will I know what to do? Aw!"

"But Daddy! This means...that...that.."

"Oh heavens! So it's true that the magical world exists!" George shouted out loud.

Hermione noticed everyone around was looking at them. She clamped her father's mouth shut and pulled him into a cafe.

Still shivering and extremely excited, the both of them sat down at a table near the windowsill and examined the letter carefully.

"Tea or coffee?" a waitress came asking.

"Err... please," George replied.

George and Hermione felt embarrassed, they almost forgot this was a cafe. The waitress went away and the two of them started to think of the solution to this mystery.

"Hmmm...should I write it here? I mean my name?" Hermione asked.

"Well...give it a try, I think...there won't be any harm," Mr. Granger replied, he wasn't sure at all.

Hermione borrowed a pen from a waiter and wrote neatly under the 8 figures in the letter, "Hermione Granger"

They waited, nothing happened. "Huhï½¡KI guess we have to think the other way," George Granger sighed.

"What other way Dad?" Hermione asked him curiously.

"I don't know, Hermione," George laughed.

Hermione sighed, "What do I have to do to make something change?"

She stared at the letter. She wanted to ask the letter, "How are you going to change?"

Then she gasped, "Dad...dad, look."

"Hmm...?" He answered, looking down at the letter.

Then he gasped too, the letter had changed.

There was no _"YOUR NAME?"_ printed on the letter, no _"Hermione Granger"_ written by Hermione, now, it was only written:

_ "YOUR SC"_

"What does that mean?" Hermione was more confused then ever, so was George Granger, "and why did it changed?"

The both of them started to think what had they done till now.

"I wrote my name but nothing changed, right?"

Her father replied, "Right."

"What else would make it change?"

"It needs to know your name..."

"Oh! Oh! Daddy! I got it! You just joked 'I don't know Hermione', didn't you?"

"Yeah I did...but...OH! I see!"

"So maybe...Should I say..." Hermione turned back to the letter, and said in a whisper, "Hermione Granger?"

The remaining half of the sentence appeared as if someone was writing it, and now it was written:

_ "YOUR SCHOOL?"_

The two Grangers stared at the sentence surprisingly. So they've solve the mystery to the letter!

"Go on! Hermione! Tell it!" George excitedly shouted.

"Err, Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Hermione tried to make out the name of the school.

Lo and behold, the sentence melted away and the next question appeared:

_ "PASSWAY ADDRESS?"  
_  
"Quick! Tell it!" George was much more excited than Hermione herself. Hermione trembled as she said, "The wall with the safety road sign for children, The General Post Office, Haden City, England!"

The two of them waited.

Then the sentence appeared:

_ INFORMATION CORRECT_

__

PASSWORD TO PASSWAY THIS MONTH :  
YELLOW MONKEYS AND GREEN BANANAS

Without hesitating, they ran out of the cafe, surprising the other customers and the waitress, who brought the coffee now forgotten by the Grangers.

Hermione and her father rushed to the wall once again. Out of breathe, Hermione said, "If this is a password, am I supposed to say it?"

"I think so honey," George leaned on the wall, exhausted.

"Here goes, YELLOW MONKEYS AND GREEN BANANAS, what a silly password," grumbled Hermione.

Suddenly, George Granger fell into the wall and disappeared.

"Dad!" Hermione clasped her mouth with both hands.

She walked to the wall unsteadily. She thought, "So this isn't solid...any...more..?"

She touched the wall, something like water ripples were formed where she touched. Her hand melted into the wall and a strong gravity sucked her in Hermione disappeared.

* * *

"Hermione! Hermione! You should see this!" George Granger pulled Hermione's sleeve and jumped up and down as if he had grew young suddenly.

If you knew George Granger before, you would be surprised to see the always- serious-looking dentist jumping up and down like that but when you saw what he had seen, you wouldn't be surprised.

It was a whole town behind the wall but not the Post Office anymore. Behind the wall, everything was curious and extraordinary. The zigzag streets were packed with men wearing cloaks and tip-topped hats; children were crowded in front of sports equipment stores bustling how speedy the newest broom would go. There were shops packed with owls and monkeys, wands and poles, potions and curious looking herbs. Everything was new to the two muggles staring and gapping at the view beyond the post office wall. Where did this all came to be?

The two of them looked at each other and giggled, chorusing, "Magic."

"Let's go Hermy," George said.

"Lets," Hermione replied merrily as she held out her hand for her dad.

They are going to explore a bit before they get to the ministry of magic.

George Granger was interested in the broomsticks and sports wear shops but Hermione wanted to see the wands. They argued which to go first.

"Now young lady, if you ask me, I think broomsticks and sports are more interesting than..."

"Dad, but I think the wands are the core of magic! I've got to take a look!"

"No, no, no, wands are silly. You just wave them and..."

There was no end to their argument.

"Okay, calm down. You go to see the wands; I go to see the sports shop, alright? Don't go anywhere else!"

"I'm not a baby, dad. I'll take care of myself. See you later!" Hermione skipped towards the wands shop.

Mr. Granger watched his beautiful daughter skipping away into the crowd, "That is why I'm worried, Hermione..."

* * *

_THE WILLOW WILL'S WAND SHOP_, the name was carved on a redwood-made plate above the shop window. Hermione peeked into the window, it was pitch black inside. She tip-toed to look closer, she could see a figure sitting comfortably on a rocking chair, moving to and fro.

Hermione gulped as she pulled the door open. A clinging sound of a rustled little bell rang from somewhere inside the shop, she went in with a little mixture of hesitation and excitement.

The shop smelled of a mixture of all kinds of wood. Hermione opened her eyes wide to capture as much light as she can. Slowly, the figure of an old woman started to appear in front of her.

"Excuse me... Um..." Hermione didn't know what to say, she didn't expect to buy anything, she just wanted to look around. But the woman's eyes looking at her seem to tell her that she have to buy something to stay. Hermione felt uneasy, she started to regret of coming in.

"A muggle?" the old lady suddenly asked.

Hermione jumped at her voice. It was as rusty as the bell that rang earlier. She stared at the old woman's face; she looked like a hundred years old.

"Err...yes...I am," Hermione answered meekly.

"Then you are not welcomed in here, missy, leave at once," the old lady stated rudely.

Hermione was surprised at this statement; never in her life had she thought that she was unwelcome in the magical world since the letter from Hogwarts said there were a lot of other muggle-born people in this world too! She wanted to say something, but hesitated, and chose to leave.

The bell rang once more, Hermione stepped out with tears rolling down her cheeks. "I guess I'm not welcomed in the school too..." she thought, " the school doesn'tï½¡?t mind muggle-born students...but maybe my classmates will...Maybe I should head for Winston after all..."

Hermione started to run to the sports shop without looking ahead. Then there was a loud crash! Hermione fell onto the ground. She had banged into someone and his things were scattered everywhere.

* * *

"I...I'm sorry, I...I'll help you," Hermione started to pick up the books lying around her. She didn't look up. She had to hide her tears.

"It's ok, nothing to worry about, it always happens," it was a man's voice, mature than her, husky and low, but young and excited.

Hermione smiled a bit, she swiped dirt off her knee and picked up another book.

"Are you alright?" the boy said.

"Oh, I'm ...I'm ok, it just hurts a bit," Hermione struggled to stand up as she picked up a book called "Quidditch - Steps TO WIN".

"No, um...yes but...err..."

"Huh?" Hermione looked up for the first time; she blushed furiously, from her rosy cheeks to her normally-brown-hair, which seemed to be a little bit red now.

A boy of 16 or 17 was crouching in front of her. He was quite tall, his short brown hair blowing in the wind. What made Hermione blush so hard was his handsome brown eyes. They were so focused on her that they gave her a feeling so special, so mysterious.

Hermione almost forgot she was crying until the boy gently wiped a tear of her cheek. She blushed more than ever.

"Um...want to have tea with me?" He asked in a friendly behavior.

"Um... ok," she agreed.

"Good. There's a nice cafe over there. I promise you the ice-creams are great," the boy said with a grin.

At a corner of the cafe, Hermione enjoyed her gooseberry ice-cream as the boy gazed at her, drinking a cup of black coffee quietly.

"What made you cry?" he asked suddenly.

Hermione's spoon stopped in mid-air. She hesitated. She had the same uneasy feeling as she had in the wand shop. Hermione assumed this boy was a wizard, of course it was just her guess, but the possibility that he was a non-muggle born was high since he knew a lot about this world.

"Come on, tell me," the boy leaned a bit closer, "I can listen."

"Um...well... Yesterday, I got a letter from..." Hermione started.

She slowly told him the whole story. The boy nodded whenever he felt that Hermione needed a response, but he never made a sound until Hermione finished.

And when she did, he thought for a moment, he seemed to find the right words to say, then he asked Hermione, "You are going to Hogwarts, right?"

Hermione nodded.

"Well, if you are, you can relax. Professor Dumbledore, that is, the school head master, welcomes all kind of students to our school. If they are eager to learn, if they have a tiny insty-bitsy magic in them, Professor Dumbledore will let you into that door of Hogwarts, and everyone would welcome you. Besides, there are so many muggles in Hogwarts that there may not be much truly pure magician-blood after all!" the boy grinned at Hermione to assure her that it was ok.

Hermione smiled finally,"Thank you...I feel better now."

The uneasy feeling had evaporated into the air, nowhere to be seen. Hermione started to scoop some more sundae (half of it is melting off), then as if she thought of something, she stopped again.

"So you are from Hogwarts too?" Hermione asked the boy suspiciously.

The boy grinned again as he nodded.

"Yes I am, and I'm in the Gryffindor House, you bet it's the best house of all," He laughed.

Hermione's heart thumped faster and faster.

"Uoops, I think I have to leave now, time does fly, I got to go and find my friends," the boy stood up swiftly.

"Oh...sorry for wasting your time," Hermione said uncertainly.

"You forgot that it was I who asked you to stay? It was a great time chatting with you...um...your name?" he asked as he stood up.

"Oh, Hermione Granger," Hermione straighten herself up as she said this.

The boy smiled, "Hermione...ok, bye!"

He walked out of the cafe, Hermione stood up, she watched him walking off, when suddenly he turned back.

"I'm Oliver, Oliver Wood!" He waved her goodbye, Hermione waved back then he disappeared into the crowd.

Hermione stood there for a while, "Oliver Wood"...

* * *

"Where in the world have you been!" Mr. George Granger, hair all messed up, totally out of breath, asked Hermione as he shook her arm harshly.

"Sorry, dad. I went to the cafe to eat ice-cream since it was so attractive," Hermione didn't want her father to worry about her, so she just told him half of the story.

"If you were to do that ever again I'll have to reconsider if I am going to let you go to that school, Hermione Granger!" George shook Hermione hard.

"I won't, Dad. Does that mean you ARE going to let me go to Hogwarts?" Hermione apologized, and then asked with sparkling eyes.

"Well...if you want to...what matters? IF you really want to be a wizard, I can't stop my little girl, can I?" George laughed.

"Oh Dad, I love you!" Hermione hugged her dad hard, "and dad?"

"Yes?"

"I am going to be a witch, not a wizard," Hermione giggled.

"Whatever," George smiled and suggested, "Lets go to the Ministry of Magic!"

"You know the way, dad?" Hermione asked.

"I heard from the sports shop-keeper it's just up ahead this road! Now let's go," George put his arm on his daughter's shoulder, and they walked into the moving crowd, towards the Ministry of Magic.

* * *

THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC was written in block letters with gold above the lobby of the Ministry. George Granger looked excited. Hermione gulped as they walked in. Looking up, there were paintings of all the former Minister of Magic. They were moving, talking, and drinking tea, dancing with each other...

The two Grangers stopped and starred at the paintings for a while. Many queer things happened since they got the letter from Hogwarts but this was the queerest of them all.

Hermione heard one of the paintings said to another, "Look, a muggle again."

"That's the fifty-seventh today, Mclloy. And it is annoying," The other one replied.

Hermione looked down for a moment embarrassingly, but then, she remembered what Oliver Wood had said. She looked up once more, and read the name plate of the man in the painting.

"Sir Louis Mclloy, 17561879"

Hermione rubbed her eyes and thought, "This Minister lived for over a century?"

Then she heard Sir Mclloy saying again, "In my days, no muggles were allowed to enter our schools, but now? Hah! That Minister lets anyone into this marvelous magical world! What a disgrace! What a ..."

Hermione didn't need to hear what the former Minister wanted to say anymore. She turned around to see a tall man wearing a navy blue suit standing there, gazing at the paintings. All the people drawn in the paintings flew back to their places without making a sound.

"Are you for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, young lady?" the man's voice rang through the great hallway.

"Yes, sir," Hermione replied.

"And you must be her guardian?" the man turned to Mr. Granger. "Yes, sir," Mr. Granger replied, "excuse me, but you are..."

"I am the Minister of Magic," Sir Mclloy coughed on purpose and the Minister of Magic looked up at it as he replied, "Cornelius Fudge. Well then, I think we shall take you into the office. I believe you came here to ask information about the school, are you not?"

The two nodded, and in they went, into the Office of the Minister of Magic.

Mr. Fudge said as he opened the door to his office, "Sorry for those insults you got from the paintings, err...Mr..?"

"Granger, George Granger," George told him.

"Mr. Granger, those are men from centuries ago, so they do not understand the world of magic at present. I have been always thinking what I will look like being painted and hooked on the wall like that," Fudge laughed.

And your daughter's name is?" he was asking Mr. Granger but looking at Hermione.

"Hermione Granger, sir" Hermione replied before her father did.

Mr. Fudge took out a list of names and ticked Hermione's, "And I believe that before you got here or maybe even you got here to the Libran Alley you could not much believe that magic exists, could you?" Mr. Fudge put both hands together in a prayer position and focused on Hermione's face.

"I am trying to believe sir, and...This is called the Libran Alley?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, yes...the alley is shaped of a balance, like the Libra sign, so...our ancestors chose this name," Mr. Fudge smiled.

"And Mr. Granger, Do you believe now?" Mr. Fudge changed to look at Mr. Granger.

"It is still hard to accept although I believe I have to believe now," Mr. Granger said in a confusing way.

"All muggles have the same problem like you Mister Granger, since we, the Ministry of Magic, had worked hard on the prevention of muggles knowing our existence, and, Oh have seat," Mr. Fudge pointed to a row of comfy chairs.

Hermione and Mr. Granger sat down, and Mr. Fudge went on, "and muggles had never had contact with magic although a few like you have magic in their blood, in their bones, it is inside you Miss Granger."

Hermione gazed at Mr. Fudge.

"Here is what we all want to know," Mr. Fudge straightened himself up, "Are you going to choose to come to our world and become a witch, or back to your muggle world and become a normal muggle? Miss Granger?" the question came.

"I'll go to Hogwarts," Hermione said determinedly.

"Are you sure Hermione?" George asked.

"Yes, I am."

"Thank you Mr. Fudge, you helped us a lot," Mr. Granger thanked Mr. Fudge as they shaked hands.

"Anytime, Mr. Granger," Mr. Fudge smiled, "And here are some booklets about the magical world, it includes...maps, a brief history of the Ministry of Magic, the introduction to Diagon Alley, that's where Hogwarts students can get all they need for school, etc."

Hermione nodded as she took the booklets from Mr. Fudge, "Thank you Mr. Fudge."

"You're welcomed, and Miss Granger? Just to remind you that you cannot use magic until you get on the Hogwarts Express Train, do I make myself clear?"


	2. The Snob

**II the Snob**

Hermione ran home after she buying everything she needed from Diagon Alley, there were three sets of plain black work robes, one plain black pointed hat for day wear, one pair of protective gloves made by dragon hide, one black winter cloak with silver fastenings and her name tag written beautifully in calligraphy letters, -- "Hermione Granger". She smiled at this. And she got a big stack of books:

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk_

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot, Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

and she also bought

_A Brief History : Hogwarts  
_  
for "a bit of light reading"

Then she took her wand out, a marvelous night black color, made by ash, 7 inches long, and the core of the wand, as Mr. Ollivander had said, was a single Unicorn hair, Hermione waved the wand graciously, a small spark flittered, Hermione put her finger on the tip of wand at once, she hadn't forgotten what Fudge had said about using magic before getting on the train.

She grinned as she touched the wand tip with her little fingers, "Yes! I'm going to be a witch!"

* * *

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, Hermione could see a red train carved HOGWARTS EXPRESS in front resting at platform nine and three-quarters.

She pushed her cart piled with full of books and stuff, her parents had gone and now she was alone. She felt a bit scared, talking to herself, "Hermione? Do not tremble. You've studied well right? You prepared for everything and you wont be behind anyone, ok? Now get on the train and ..."

**_BUMP!  
_**  
"Ow! Gees! I'm sorry, are you ok?" Hermione ran to the front of her cart, she wasn't looking and she banged into someone.

"I'm ok ...ok."

Hermione helped him up and... "Oliver?!"

"Oh...ha-ha, hi Hermione, wow, long time no see" He grinned as he straighten up; "I guess we're bound to bump into each other, aren't we?" he laughed.

"Yeah...I guess so," Hermione smiled her best smile.

"Oliver!" a voice coming from behind Hermione called.

"Huh? Coming!" Oliver shouted back, "I have to go, you're a first year, right? It'll be fun being sorted into Houses, hope to see you at the same table. "

"Um..yeah..bye!" Hermione said as Oliver prepared to leave, actually she didn't understand half a bit about the meaning of "same table" or "sorting". She had read nothing about those in the book _A Brief History: Hogwarts_.

"See ya later" Oliver waved her goodbye.

Hermione looked around, she have to find an empty compartment. Hermione stepped into the train, she found a comfortable compartment to sit in when she saw a boy with jet black hair with green eyes passed by.

"Oh My God!!! Isn't that Harry Potter!?" a girl with freckles and short brown hair screamed.

"Which???!" another girl with long blond hair turned to ask.

"That one with messy black hair and standing in front of compartment ABN!" the first girl replied.

A lot of people turned to look at the boy. Whisperings were heard everywhere. The boy, which must be Harry Potter, looked surprised at all the attention he got, and walked into a compartment quickly. Hermione wondered where she heard his name.

"That Potter guy lived when that You-Know-Who attacked him, didn't he? Ha! I bet he is so proud of himself having to be so 'famous'. I wonder how it feels like to have no parents," said a boy who walked into Hermione's compartment. Hermione was surprised by this sudden start of a conversation but he reminded her of who Harry Potter was. She looked up. A boy of her age with blue eyes and blond hair slicked back with gel was talking to her. Two macho boys were standing behind him.

"Yes, he did, but I think it's not polite to say something like that when you don't even know him," She replied coolly, the blond hair boy was handsome, she had to admit that, but she didn't like him at all.

The boy made a tut-tut sound with his tongue, "Hmm...anyway, I'm Draco Malfoy, wish to see you in the Slytherin's House since I'm sure to be in it. It's the best House of all." He grinned slyly, looking at Hermione from head to toe, and back again.

"I wish I'll be in Gryffindor instead," stated Hermione as she stood up. For one thing, she said this because she knew the greatest rival of Slytherin's IS Gryffindor, for the other, she wanted to be in there because Oliver was.

"Did you see my pet toad?" a brown hair boy crying asked Malfoy as he came across the compartment. "Toad?!" Malfoy answered with an angry look. He wanted to say something to Hermione but he was cut off by this boy, "What in the world made you think I'll pay attention to one? Attentions are used to pay on..." He looked at Hermione, and then looked back at the boy, "if I see that frog you bet I'll crush it!" He said as he stamped one foot on the floor.

The crying boy trembled as he clamped his opened mouth with both hands. These words and the look of the two macho boys were the most horrifying thing for him.

Hermione was going to say something on her mind to Malfoy when a familiar voice came saying "Stop that, will you."

It was Oliver.

"Who the hell are you?" Draco said in the coolest way he can.

"Who am I doesn't matters to you now Draco Malfoy. What matters is if this wand will hex you off the ground in front of everyone, especially her, so GO AWAY!" Oliver took out a wand and pointed it at Malfoy's face.

Malfoy haven't got a sharp reply to that at the moment so he waved a hand to the two big guys and they left.

"It's ok ...They've left," Hermione patted the crying boy's head. He was crouching on the floor now, hands covering his head as if for protection.

The boy looked up and smiled for the first time. "Thank you so much," he said to Hermione and Oliver.

The two nodded.

"Have you seen my toad?" The boy asked once again.

"No. sorry, maybe I'll help you find it, ok? What's your name?" Hermione asked him.

"Neville Longbottom...Thank you for helping me," he said.

"You're welcomed," said Hermione and Oliver.

They walked passed compartment ABN when she suddenly felt she wanted to make sure that the boy in there was Harry Potter. She looked through the opened door and asked, "Did you see Neville's toad?" ...

* * *

..."Who was in that compartment? Did they know where Neville's toad is?" Oliver asked.

Hermione walked out of the ABN compartment and closed the door. She turned to Oliver and answered him, "It was Harry Potter and I think I heard the other boy said he is Ronan Weasly, if I'm right. And no, they didn't see Neville's frog."

"Harry Potter? I see...so he's here now...Hope he'll be in our house too," Oliver grinned again, "Neville's in the compartments at the back of the train, let's find in the front."

Hermione smiled and they walked off, asking each compartment if they have seen the toad... "DID YOU SEE IT?!! DID YOU?" Neville came running into Oliver's compartment, his crying getting worse.

"Sorry...Neville...we can't find it..." Hermione sighed.

She crouched down to sooth the crying Neville who was now crouching on the compartment floor crying, "We'll find it out, it can't be anywhere but on the train."

It was getting dark outside and the lamps inside the train started to light themselves.

"It'll be more difficult for us to find a toad in the dark..." Oliver looked out into the dark and said quietly.

Hermione knew she shouldn't be thinking such a thing when she should be soothing Neville, but she couldn't help noticing how handsome Oliver was under the dim lamp light, his eyes were slightly sparkling, reflecting the light...

"...Hermione?" Oliver had been calling her for a moment but she didn't seem to hear him.

"Huh? Oh! Sorry, I didn't hear you, what did you say?" as if she finally came back to life, Hermione answered him shyly.

"Neville just left to find his toad, he said thank you to you and me and said he'll find it himself now...and it's getting near to Hogwarts, you should change into your robes...Are you okay?" He asked, "your face is red...are you having a fever or something?"

"Oh no, no way, I'm not having a fever; I think I got to go...Wow!"

The train came to a sudden halt and Hermione fell into Oliver's arms.

"Sorry, I'm sorry I didn't mean to..."

Hermione tried to straighten herself but she can't stop herself from not wanting to get out of his arms. She looked up, Oliver was looking into her face, their eyes met and Hermione went redder than cherries. She looked down, feeling embarrassed than ever. (But she didn't want to let go)

Suddenly, Oliver pulled her face to his, Hermione's heart thumped faster than ever when... "I think you DO have a fever Hermione," Oliver had pulled her forehead to his. He was trying to see if she had a temperature, "I've got some medicine here." He let go of Hermione and opened his bag to get the medicine.

"Oh, it's ok...Oliver ...em..." Hermione looked out of the window, students were swarming out of the train, they had arrived at Hogwarts, "I think I got to go."

She ran out of Oliver's compartment, and ran on until she got to hers. She stopped to catch her breathe when suddenly, the scene just then was recalled. She felt relieved that Oliver didn't...kiss...her, but also a bit disappointed that he didn't.

Hermione looked out into the dark, it was raining and everything was wobbly. She could see students fighting to get off the train first, luggage taken off the train by strong men, a 3 men-height giant calling out for first years...And, the school itself was seen far beyond the lake surrounding it.

Hermione took out her robes and wore it on. She told herself "Now that I had come to Hogwarts, it is a new beginning for me, and I'll have to study hard to keep up with other students who aren't muggles..." She lingered to her believe and promised herself she will do her best at school.

* * *

"Gryffindor!" the sorting hat shouted.

"Wow! Another Gryffindor!" the whole Gryffindor table clapped hands and cheered; the sound thundering through the hall.

Hermione Granger walked happily to the Gryffindor table, head's up. She knew well that Gryffindor was the best house and she was sorted into it. She was so proud with this and she smiled all through the dinner.

That night Hermione wrote a letter to Linda.

_Dear Linda,_

I'm having great fun now! I told you in my last letter I am going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, maybe you don't believe me still but I am HERE now!!

I was been sorted into the Gryffindor House, That's the best house of all and I'm glad I'm in it, people are said to be brave if they are in this house and I hope I am.

The other Houses are Slytherin, I heard that's where bad wizards or witches mostly come out from, they are cunning and ambitious, and Hufflepuff, not a very good house I heard, but people there are nice and also hard-working, anything's better than Slytherin, Ravenclaw are smart and are told to be wise, that's a nice house too.

From tomorrow I'll start to have lessons, its Herbology and Potions and Transfigurations. I'm excited with all of that! Hope to see your reply soon!

P.S. I'll be sending you by an owl, hope you weren't scared by that.

With all my love,

Hermione Granger 

_

* * *

_

"Which spell do we use to make things disappear?" Mr. Flitwick asked.

Lessons had started for a few days and it was Charms lesson right then.

"Yes Miss Granger?" Prof. Flitwick smiled.

"It is..." Hermione put down her hand and waved her wand by the other, "_Deletrius_."

Hermione said the spell confidently; she had tried it last night, so there won't be any mistake. Surely, the vase in front of her disappeared. Hermione grinned broadly.

Flitwick gasped, and said, "Miss Granger had done it again! Now everyone has a try..."

The remaining of the lessons, everyone tried the disappearing spell, and Flitwick told them to drop notes for the next lesson.

"That Granger girl, she had been showing off for five days! Every day she's putting her hand up. 'I know this, I know that.' Scared that Flitwick is too short to see she's a Know-it-all?!" a Gryffindor girl laughed.

"So she's been like that since the first day of school!? I thought it was just because she thinks she's good at Charms," a Hufflepuff replied astonishingly.

Hufflepuffs had only been with Gryfinndors in Charms till now.

"She's mental," another Gryffindor said seriously, pointing her head.

The three of them nodded at each other, and laughed.

Hermione decided to shut her ears up, "I can't hear a thing," she told herself.

She walked pass the three of them quickly, almost bumping into the Hufflepuff girl.

"Snob," they said, loud enough for Hermione to hear.

Hermione felt so hurt, "I just don't want to be left behind, and I just want the people to know a muggle can do as good as a pure magician born, is that wrong?"...

It was Transfiguration next and Hermione had to hurry. No time to cry she told herself. There were only 20 more minutes till the lessons start. She sat down on some grasses and took out A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration and started to read through the notes she made, checking there were no difference between the book and her notes.

"'Animagus', a wizard who can become an animal yet retain magical powers. The ability to transform into an animal is as old as legend. In Celtic mythology, transformation into stags, boars, swans, eagles, and ravens are common. Shamans in Native American cultures..." Hermione read out the passage as she wrote points in her note.

"Hard-working, ei?" Hermione looked up to see Oliver talking to her.

She blushed furiously. It was since the time on the train did Oliver talked to her that she felt so anxious.

"Em... I'm just taking a note, that's all," She can't help but to be a bit cool to hide her feelings.

Oliver grinned as he sat down beside her. (Hermione's heart thumping out of control)

"Did you know that the Quidditch match is starting next week?" Oliver asked.

Hermione stopped writing, recalling her memory, "Quidditch, the most popular sports in this world?" She asked.

"Sure it is!" Oliver seemed overwhelmed that Hermione knew what Quidditch meant, "First, there is the quaffle, the chaser controls it, and if they throw the quaffle into the loops, you get points, and there is the Bludger, that is a ..."

Hermione smiled as she gazed at Oliver, who's talking excitedly about Quidditch, "He must be crazy about it," she thought, "And iI must be in love with him."

She blushed.

To the truth, Hermione knew about Quidditch. She had read books about Quidditch since she knew Oliver liked it when she helped him to pick up his book, "Quidditch - the Steps TO WIN" when she first met Oliver in Libran Alley. But she wanted to spend more time with him, so she didn't care.

"You must come and see the match, it's wonderful," Oliver finally said.

"Sure I would!" Hermione exclaimed.

"And...would you come with me?" She asked shyly.

"Huh? Oh, forgot to tell you, sorry. I'm the keeper of the Gryffindor team, so I'll be on the match field," He grinned shyly.

Hermione blushed, how could she not know? But she couldn't have helped it, could she? She had no friends.

Hermione wanted to cry, but she forced herself not to, "I'm not going to make Oliver worry me again."

"Sorry for not noticing, Oliver..." Hermione forced a smile, "I will go and see you win!"

Oliver blushed.

* * *

"I'm sorry I'm late, Professor," Hermione came running into classes. She had been late because she had been so into conversation with Oliver.

Professor McGonagall raised one eyebrow, and said in a harsh tone, "Miss Granger, I am very disappointed with you, lessons had started for 10 minutes already, now find a seat and sit down."

Hermione looked around; there was a seat beside Ronald Weasly, who was sitting with Harry Potter. She walked to it and sat down meekly.

"And Miss Granger?" Prof. McGonagall said, "1 point from Gryffindor."

Hermione felt ashamed, that was her first time to make Gryffindor lose points.

"Snob," said Lydia Rowan, a Gryffindor classmate.

All the girls around her giggled at Hermione.

"What's the matter, girls?" McGonagall

No one replied.

"Does anyone know the answer to this question?" McGonagall looked around and pointed at the question written on the blackboard, "Who is Madam Mim? What does she have to do with Animagus? Miss Granger?"

There was silence for a second.

"I don't know, Professor," Hermione replied.

The whole class was filled will whispers, "**She Doesn't Know!!?"**

"What's the matter Miss Granger? Are you feeling ill?" Prof. McGonagall looked concerned.

"Nothing professor, I am okay," Hermione replied, blowing her nose under the table, hiding from the Professor and her classmates view. Ron raised both eyebrows and stared at Hermione. Harry was surprised too, his mouth opened slightly.

Who would have thought Hermione Granger, the Know-it-All will cry this way? And who can deceive Professor McGonagall's eyes?

"...Miss Granger, please come to see me after lunch time," Professor McGonagall said, sighing slightly.

Hermione didn't respond. She had no energy to do so.

"I suggest you to go out for a while, have a walk outside will do some good for you," the professor added.

"Thank you Professor," Hermione packed her books, stood up and left.

"Do you think she's alright?" Ronald asked Harry when Potions finished. Hermione hadn't come to Potions and Snape had taken 5 points from Gryffindor for that reason.

"I don't know Ron, hope she is," Harry rubbed his messy hair, he was a bit worried.

Both boys didn't like Hermione very much, but when they saw her cry like that, they can't help it but be worried.

* * *

Meanwhile, Hermione was sitting at the bank of the lake, her legs in the water. She stared into the reflection of her own in the water and sighed...

"Why do people hate me?" she didn't understand at all.

A stone suddenly fell from nowhere into the water, making a splash at Hermione's face, water ripples were formed on the water surface, Hermione wiped her face as she stood up. She could see another figure in the water, it wasn't clear, but she was sure it was a boy.

"Oliver?" She turned around.

"Huh?" A strong hand held her arm and pressed her to a stone wall behind her, "Oliver what?" Draco Malfoy smirked.

Hermione gasped, she never thought it was HIM, "What do you want, Malfoy?!"

He was alone, no macho boys around. "You're wondering where the two stupid gits are, huh? They're eating like pigs in the dining hall."

Hermione ignored him, looking away from him and into the lake.

"I heard you ran out of classes, didn't you? Everybody hate you, don't they? Forgive them and accept it, Hermione Granger. No one can stand a mudblood being smarter than them," He stepped nearer to Hermione, his sky- blue eyes looking deep down into her hazel brown eyes, "and knowing it too."

"I don't like mudbloods too but..." He said as his forehead touched Hermione's.

Hermione didn't understand the term "mudblood", neither did she understand why Malfoy was standing as close, "Can you let go? You're hurting my arms...aw...and it's so hot!"

"I won't let go, Granger, and you interrupted me. I don't like mudbloods, but you are kind of my type..." He pulled Hermione face to his, and kissed her.

Hermione didn't even winch a bit, she never thought he would actually kiss her. He kissed her passionately; Hermione came to her sense and tried to push him away. Their lips parted and Malfoy smirked again, looking into Hermione's eyes, satisfied.

"You'll be mine, Granger," he said, once more pulling Hermione's face to his.

"Oh no, she'll not!" Malfoy was pulled away from Hermione with great strength and pushed into the water. It was Harry and Ron.

"What the hell!?" Malfoy stood up all wet, luckily it was a shallow part of the lake or he might have been drowned.

"Who do you think you are!? Kissing girls without her permission when teachers are out of sight?!" Ron stood between Hermione and Malfoy, shouting at him.

"AND WHO do you think YOU are, Weasel?!" Malfoy bellowed back, "Your dad can't even afford to BUY new robes for you, huh?" He laughed at Ron's too- small-robes from his brothers. Ron blushed all over, his red hair even redder. He clumsily pulled his cloaks so they'd seem longer.

"Anything is better than you, Malfoy. All wet and stinky," said Hermione wiping her lips with Harry's handkerchief. Harry bit his lips, trying not to laugh. Ron smiled, his hair not as red as just then.

Malfoy spit into the water, without his macho companions he could do nothing else to the three of them. "Mudblood," he said as he left, dripping water all the way.

They watched him leave and Hermione spoke again, "Thank you, Harry...Ron..."

"Anytime ...Hermione," Harry smiled, both boys were a bit astonished that she called them by their names. "That retort was great."

Hermione blushed. But there was grin on her face.

"What does 'mudblood' mean?" Hermione asked a while later, "I never saw it in the books."

They stopped walking; Ron gave her a surprising look. To Hermione, it seemed like he thought she read a lot of books.

"Emm...I ...didn't mean to show off I like to read..." Hermione felt that Ron misunderstood her like all the other classmates did.

"Oh! Gees, sorry, no I didn't mean that. I mean...um..." Ron looked confused with the wordings he should use.

"He just meant that he was surprised you didn't understand the word...m-u-d- blood, since almost every muggle-born witch and wizard knows that," Harry followed up. He wasn't a muggle born, but he lived with muggles so he knew.

Hermione gave a puzzled look and asked, "So it's a common word?"

"Oh NO!" The two replied in the same time.

"It isn't common at all!"

"It's an...insulting term to muggles, means their blood is ...polluted. I don't understand it well myself," Ron scratched his head.

"Anyway, it's not a good term to say," Harry ended the explanation.

Hermione nodded, she didn't understand their explanation half a bit but she knew what they meant to say. She was starting to like them, "Maybe we should go and have dinner," she suggested.

Harry and Ron stared at her for a second and smiled, they both were thinking the same thing, "She's ok now."

Hermione walked a bit faster than the two.

Ron whispered to Harry, "She isn't that MENTAL as they say after all."

Harry grinned and whispered back, "yeah...she's nice."

The three went off to the Dining hall, laughing about how Malfoy got wet just then.


	3. I Think I Do

III "I Think I Do"

After the kiss incident, Hermione became more and more friendly with Harry and Ron. They went everywhere together. They were a great trio. Hermione was all known to be a hardworking student, Harry was a supreme broomstick flyer and Ron was a wonderful chess player. They taught each other, and learnt from each other. Sometimes they even fought each other too, but when two of them do, the other will help them make up afterwards.

Hermione can't wait till the Quidditch match starts, Gryffindor verses Slytherin. Hermione had been watching the Gryffindor Team practice for two weeks, everyday, they were doing real good and she couldn't wait to see Gryffindor winning the Slytherin. , she prayed everyday they would. She was there looking at them practicing partly because Harry was in the team as the seeker (great flying ability he has, Oliver said) AND Oliver was there as keeper.

Hermione learnt he was the captain of the team too, and she can't resist the way he swish and swoosh in the air balancing well on his broomstick, throwing tennis balls in all directions for Harry to catch and in the same time slapping volley balls back to the chasers by turning his broomstick, AND dodging the human-Bludgers, the Weasly twins, when they played human bombers(That means they bump each other by flying towards each other, which usually hurt other team players too if they are in the way).

("Oi! Go batting baseballs wont you two!" Oliver would shout everyday.)

After the practices, (this was the part Hermione would blush most) the boys would take off their sports shirts since they are all sweating hard, and when Hermione saw how burly was Oliver beneath his shirt, she tomato- blushed and always hid her face from Ron seeing it as they all walk back to the school building for dinner.

"Hermione?" Harry swished his hand in front of Hermione's eyes.

"Hum? Huh? Oh gosh, sorry, I didn't realize...what lesson's next? I'm late for what?" Hermione panicked as she stood up from the sofa.

"Huh? What are you talking about, Hermione?! Its dead pass midnight and there are no lessons till tomorrow morning!" Ron widened his eyes in disbelief as he said to Hermione.

The three were in the common room. The fire was near to death and everyone had gone to sleep but them. Ron had been playing chess with Harry until he noticed Hermione looking at the fire without blinking much.

"What were you thinking about? ...Still thinking about that...incidence with Malfoy?" Harry asked carefully. He didn't want to hurt Hermione's feelings; after all, she's a delicate girl.

"Huh...? Oh...no, nothing..." Hermione blushed as she said this.

"But you're going red Hermione..." Ron walked near to see her face clearly. The light from the fireplace wasn't enough to see clearly.

"Really! Nothing...just thinking about the Quidditch match next week..." Hermione blushed as she stepped backwards.

"Oh...I seeeeee" Harry grinned slyly as he picked up his sweater from the sofa his was sitting on.

"See what Harry?" Ron looked so confused.

"Just a little ...err...nothing," Harry grinned even more.

Hermione felt uneasy, He knows? No way, she didn't tell anyone...and...It doesn't show does it? ... "It's late, think I'll go to sleep." Hermione said hurriedly.

"Ya me too, you clean up the chess board, Ron!" Harry fled up the stairs.

"Huh? Wait! What do you mean by you see? See What?? And how many times do I have to tell you that OUR chess boards can clean themselves up!?" Hermione ran into her room and banged the door close.

Someone grunted. Hermione gasped before she clamped her mouth with her hands. Did she wake anyone?? Someone snored?

"Give me a break," Hermione sighed.

She climbed into her four-posted bed and changed into her pajamas. She combed her hair as she looked into the starry sky, and blushed. She had been imagining how it would be like to see Oliver win the match, and how it would be like to be Oliver's girlfriend. She couldn't help but smile when she recalled how Oliver smiled at her or talked about Quidditch or flew in the air playing Quidditch seriously. Should she tell him how she felt? She sighed and climbed into her blankets. Smiling in her sleep, she dreamt the day she will be Oliver's girlfriend.

_It's every little thing you do_

That makes me fall in love with you

There isn't a way that I can show you

Ever since I've come to know you

It's every little thing you say

That makes me wanna feel this way

There's not a thing that I can point to

'Cause it's every little thing you do

Is it your smile

Or your laugh

Or your heart?

Does it really matter why I love you?

Anywhere there's a crowd

you stand out

can't you see why they can't ignore you?

If you wanna know

Why I can't let go

Let me explain to you

That every little dream comes true

With every little thing you do

It's every little thing you do

That makes me fall in love with you

There isn't a way that I can show you

Ever since I've come to know you

It's every little thing you say

That makes me wanna feel this way

There's not a thing that I can point to

'Cause it's every little thing you do

* * *

Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle. Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor -- what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too --"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor," Lee Jordan, as always, doesn't fairly announce the game of Quidditch. Who can help it? He's a Gryffindor and a friend of the Weasly twins!!

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve -- back to Johnson and -- no, Slytherin have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes -- Flint flying like an eagle up there -- he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle -- that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and -- OUCH -- that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger -- Quaffle taken by the Slytherin -- that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger -- sent his way by Fred or George Weasly, can't tell which -- nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes -- she's really flying -- dodges a speeding Bludger -- the goal posts are ahead -- come on, now, Angelina -- Keeper Bletchley dives -- misses --GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Hermione was biting her finger nails all along the match until each time Gryffindor scores. Her eyes gazing at Oliver, he played a somersault when Angelina scored that he almost missed a Quaffle from flying into the loops (which he saved in time), the Quaffle flew to Alicia Spinnet.

"...Another Score for Gryffindor!!!!!!!" Jordan shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Yes!!!!!!! Did you see that? Did you see it Ron?" Hermione was shaking Ron's body vigorously, the two of them cheered and clapped for Gryffindor. This was the best match she had ever seen in her life.

"Now Spinnet turned a graceful turn to ... Look!" Jordan shouted through the microphone, pointing into the air.

Everyone looked at the direction Lee Jordan was pointing. Harry was diving at top speed, DOWN down down down down...PLOP! He rolled into the soft grass, standing up unsteadily...

"Seem' like he's goin' to th'ow up," said Hagrid, looking through Ron's binoculars.

Harry gulped and spitted out...

"THE SNITCH! Harry Potter got the snitch! 150 points for Gryffindor! Gryffindor won!" Lee Jordan was almost eating the microphone, he was over excited.

"HOORAY!" The whole Gryffindor House was shouting and cheering and whistling and everything.

Everyone cried and laughed, this was a long time since Gryffindor beated Slytherin, even McGonagall was crying with joy. Hermione actually hugged Ron, Ron beamed, and blushed . Hagrid danced hip hop to express his happiness but his left foot kicked his right and he fell, still laughing. His laughter shook the whole tower, everyone caught to a side of the wall, fearing they might fall of the edges. The Gryffindor Quidditch team flew off their broomsticks and hugged and cheered Harry, Alicia kissed Harry on the cheek and the Weasly twins human- bombed each other with joy, fell off their brooms and still laughing hilariously. Oliver picked up Harry, the whole team did too.

"Party time, Gryfinndors!!!!!!!" Lee Jordan shouted through the microphone. Who cares even if the teachers know?!

"Three cheers to Harry Potter!" Oliver shouted as he threw Harry into the air with the others. "Hip Hip Hurray!!!" "I hope I'll win in the other matches too, Oliver said if we go on this way, we can win the Cup!" Harry's eyes were shining.

* * *

Hermione looked up from her book, "Lockhart and the Wolf Gang hunting". The name Oliver caught her ear.

"You saw how Malfoy looked like?! He was DUMBFOUND! Jaws dropped, eyes in despair, I loved that look! Harry, you're bloody brilliant!!" Ron said excitedly, "and check mate, Harry."

Hermione looked down again to find the sentence she was reading.

It was the 2nd night after the match, Hermione was reading, the boys were talking about the success of their House team as they played chess. Ron's winning of course.

Harry sulked and sighed, "I wish I can win this chess game too..."

"Checkmate again Harry," Ron grinned, his queen kicking Harry's knight away.

Harry almost threw the chess board off the tea table. He turned to look at Hermione, made a wondering look and said teasingly, "Thought you were reading about Quidditch." he grinned slyly.

Hermione pulled the book to her face, but she couldn't hide her blushing ears. Harry had been saying that since the night Harry said he knew about her liking of Oliver to her. He's a real teaser.

"Huh? Why did you think she's reading about Quidditch? You like Quidditch very much Hermione?" Ron was always a step late to understand things.

"Nothing, she just like the keeper, uoops" Harry put his right hand over his mouth.

"Harry!???" Hermione opened her already-big-eyes wide and stood up staring unbelievably at him, "you promised you wont say it!"

"What do you mean Hermione? What did Harry? Huh?" Ron scratched his head, and suddenly, as if he got the idea, "oh? Hermione, you're not telling me you LOVE Oliver Wood, are you?" He said it real loud.

A few girls looked up from what they were doing to listen.

Hermione looked down on the floorboards, blushing more than she could.

"Hermione?" Ron tilted his body to look at her face, and saw her blushing hard.

"You really do??" Ron asked confusingly.

Harry picked up Hermione's book from the sofa and sat on it starting to pretend to read. The two didn't notice the whole Gryffindor House was looking at them, well, at lease the ones in the common room then.

"Hermione..."

"..I think I do..." Hermione said under her breathe.

"Huh? What did you say Hermione?" Ron had bad hearing; he tilted his body towards Hermione.

"I said I THINK I DO!" Hermione shouted.

Ron stood there dumbfound. So was the whole House.

* * *

"Jesus H. Christ! You flipped that stupid Flint guy off the broom!?" Ray Whites, a Ravenclaw fifth year laughed as he stepped through the Fat Lady's entrance.

Oliver replied as he led him in, "Sure I did, you should have seen how he body flopped to stand back straight, heehaw... What's the matter you guys?" He looked astonishingly at the not-moving crowd.

The fifth years had just come back from additional lessons for their O.W.L.S. So, of course they knew nothing about the confession Hermione made.

All the people started to come to their senses and went back to their own works. No one replied, but chattered and chattered in a low voice, out of Oliver and the fifth years' earshot.

The fifths looked puzzled as they walked up the stairs to their dorms. Oliver and Ray stayed back.

"What happened?" Oliver asked Harry, who was 'looking' into the book.

"Huh? Dunno, nothing I guess, um? What's he doing here?" Harry looked at Ray Whites; he could see he wasn't a Gryffindor. (Actually he just wanna changed the subject)

Ray Whites had blond hair with The Beatles hair cut (you know what's that, don't you?) and brown eyes with a slight orange color in it, he replied to Harry, "I'm here to get a book, Quidditch Teams All Over The World", that's all, I'll leave soon don't worry." He winked.

"Oh? Didn't mean that way, sorry. Just curious," Harry stood up as he smiled at Ray.

"I'm Ray Whites, you must be the snitch eater, Harry Potter," Ray joked as he shaked hands with Harry.

Harry grinned and turned to Oliver, "Can I see that book too, and Oliver? I wanna have a look, please?"

"Sure, come along," Oliver seemed to forget the curious scene just then.

The three went up the stairs to Oliver's room.

* * *

"Morning Harry," Ron was talking to Harry but glancing at Hermione. He pulled a seat beside Harry and sat down.

"Mooowwing," Harry replied as he bit on his marmalade toast. (he meant "morning")

Hermione was sitting a long way from where they were. She was mad that Harry gave away the secret, and that Ron being so careless. But she was most mad at herself, she thought she should never have screamed out, even though she was so excited, now EVERYONE knows she love Oliver. It was a matter of time that HE would know too.

"May I sit here?" a girl asked Hermione.

Hermione looked up to see Angelina Johnson looking down at her, her long hair strangling down.

"Sure, have a seat." "...had a fight with your friends?" Angelina asked, pouring milk into her cereals.

Hermione almost dropped her apple. She was angry with Harry and Ron, but somehow, someway, she forgave them when Angelina said 'friends'. She felt confusing inside. This was the first time she had had conflicts with both of the boys. Usually, she only fought with Ron. (only Ron)

"Err...no...Yes. But its okay, it was just a small fight. No problem. Um, are you going to leave when the Christmas Holidays come?" Hermione felt a bit embarrassed, and so, changed the topic.

"Yes, I will, dad wants me home to help him with things," Angelina noticed Hermione blushing so she let her change the subject, "but not the fifth years," Yet she somehow came back to the embarrassing topic.

Hermione looked up startled; she thought Angelina didn't know since she asked if she and the boys had fight. Angelina smiled as she supped her bowl of milk.

"Why?" Hermione started eating again, trying to sound casual, but actually she was soooo interested. "Well, you know they are going to get their OWLS examinations. They'll be very busy with it. So it'll be better to stay here to study. But they'll leave after the second Quidditch match. Since they will go home to prepare, THEN take their OWLS. And come back before the third match starts." Angelina explained in detail.

"I see, but why do you know so much about the fifth years?" Hermione asked curiously.

This time, Angelina blushed. "My boyfriend is a fifth year. Ray Whites, a Ravenclaw. I guess you don't know him" she grabbed an orange from a fruit bowl and started to peel it.

"Oh, Ray Whites," Hermione sighed in relief, she almost thought it was Oliver.

"You know him?" Angelina seemed surprised.

"I saw him yesterday, the one with bob cut blond hair, right?" Hermione recalled her memory of the boy who came in with Oliver yesterday, then suddenly remember how embarrassed she felt when she saw Oliver coming in just after she confessed...how is she going to face him ever again if he knew?

Suddenly, the familiar figure of the sporty brown hair boy came sitting down beside Hermione. "Wow, it seems I'm late for breakfast, everyone's finished!" Oliver slipped a toast into the toaster, almost instantly he took it out again. It was nicely burnt, a golden brown color and with melted butter on it.

Hermione's movement stopped completely. She just stared at him, jaws dropped a bit. Angelina, sitting on the other side of Hermione, tapped her shoulder. At once Hermione came back to her sense, closed her mouth and told herself not to panic.

"Hi Hermione, good morning," Oliver smiled as he glanced at her then back to his toast. He's choosing what to put on the toast, "What do you think guys? Marmalade or blueberry jam?"

"It's ladies, Oliver," Angelina corrected him, "I like marmalade better."

"Alright, La-diees, ..Hmm...and you Hermione?" Oliver was just asking to make some conversation, but Hermione didn't notice that. He didn't mind marmalade or blueberry jam what so ever AT ALL. "I think both," Hermione suggested, "it's tasty, mind you."

Oliver did as he was told and sure it was delicious, "Thanks for the new recipe, Hermione," he chuckled.

Oliver didn't realize that Hermione was smiling because he did. But she relived he didn't. Then she asked herself, am I relieved? If he didn't know, that's okay, great. But if he knew, he would not have talked to her this way, then that will mean that he did care. But if he didn't mind even he knew, and talked to her like always, then that meant he didn't care if she liked him or not. That would be sad. "Hermione, I heard you and Harry and Ronald (he calls Ron Ronald) had a conflict, are you guys ok now?" Oliver asked her with concern.

"Oh! Nothing, no big problem," Hermione said. SO HE KNEW THE FIGHT.

"Harry told me he's afraid you might not forgive him.. So did Ron, but they didn't tell me what happened, they said you wouldn't want people to know," Oliver explained the reason he asked.

"Really? It's ok ...I'm not angry anymore, really, I'll talk to them right now, thanks for worrying, Angelina, you too." She bid them both goodbye, stood up and left.

Hermione felt silly, what was more important? That everyone knows her love towards Oliver? Or a relationship which she had endured with two loyal friends? Thinking back, even if Oliver knows, so what? She was going to tell him someday. "Ron?" Hermione called as she approached her two friends.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to ---" Ron started apologizing.

Hermione smiled and pat his shoulder, "it's alright, I forgive you. And you too, Harry," she chuckled.

Harry chuckled as well.

* * *

Christmas came, Hermione chose to leave school and go home to see her parents. She had made up with Harry and Ron and now they are best of best friends once again. On the way to Hogwarts Express, Hermione stopped to hug them both.

"I'll send owls, and your X'mas gifts," Hermione grinned as she let go of Ron.

"Ya, us too," Harry smiled as he placed one hand on Ron's shoulder.

"See ya!" Hermione waved as she pulled her luggage to the train. Then she saw Oliver standing in front of her.

"Oliver? You're going home?!" Hermione gasped.

"No, no I'm not, just saying good bye to my friend," he pointed at Ray, who was chatting with Angelina as they both get onto the train.

"Oh..." she smiled as she grasped her luggage tight. She suddenly had the urge to tell him.

"You're leaving too, see you Hermione," Oliver hugged her goodbye.

Hermione didn't want to let go, actually she didn't let go of him and hugged him tighter.

"Hermione?" Oliver asked, Hermione can hear the awkward tone in his voice.

"...I love you..." Hermione whispered.

"What did you say?" Oliver didn't hear clearly.

Hermione let go suddenly and ran off a distance, leaving Oliver puzzled.

"I said, I LOVE YOU!" Hermione smiled as she ran off, skipping all the way. She didn't look back, not that she was being proud or something, but she was blushing from head to toe. And she COULDN'T show Oliver that!

And so, she didn't know Oliver was standing there dumbfound, and, had a line of smile in his face. The train set off, and Hermione looked around for an empty cabinet to settle down for. There were a lot of people on the train since most of them leaves for home. She found one at the back of the train, went in and took of her coat, she felt extremely hot, for one thing she was still feeling embarrassed for she has done and said, for the other, although it was snowing outside, inside the train, it was warm, there must be some magic controlling the temperature.

Just when she settled down, face still blushing, her lips still forming a smile, (she felt happy anyway) the old lady with the snacks trolley came. Hermione went out to see what she wanted. She chose a chocolate frog and a bag of Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans. She hummed a tune as she turned back to her cabinet door to open it, an arm banged onto the door she was opening, and closed it.

Hermione gasped with surprise and dropped her sweets onto the train floor. She turned around to see Malfoy's blue eyes gazing at her in the most cunning way she could imagine.

"What are YOU doing here?" Hermione asked angrily. The existence of him was already a reason to make him be on her nerves. He had been always insulting her as she was a muggle-born, and HOW could she forget the kiss?

"I'm going home that's why, what else reason you have to be on this train? I'm not like Potty, going to his foster home, that's not a home," he smirked.

"I'm asking you why you're here! Just get lost wont you? I don't wanna see your face," Hermione turned to open the door, but Malfoy held the door knob tight with his left hand, his right around Hermione's waist. "Hey..! What do you think you're doing?" Hermione gasped with surprise, she let go of the door and struggled to make Malfoy let go of her.

Malfoy held her tight with his strong arms; Hermione's strength was no match to his. Malfoy leaned his lips to Hermione's right ear, and whispered into it, "No, Potty, no Weasel, and no Wood-stalk to save you, Granger." His breathe was all over Hermione's face. Hermione shut her eyes with force, trying to stop the over thumping heartbeat of hers.

"Scared?" Malfoy smirked again.

"Hermione opened her eyes almost at once and said angrily, "Let go, or I'll hex you Malfoy."

"Without a wand, Granger?" he laughed nastily as he pulled Hermione's wand out of her left pocket. He had seen it for a while.

Hermione gasped; there was a mixture of disappointment and madness in it. But She Wasn't Going To Give In To Him. No way she's gonna let him do whatever.

"Nothing to say?" Malfoy tapped her chin as if she's a cat or something.

Hermione bit her lips, both eyes focusing on Malfoy's face. Her mind was rumbling with thoughts and ways to get out of his controlled area. Malfoy threw Hermione's wand to a far corner, his right arm still around her waist. The both were starting to sweat. It seems that the atmosphere around them was getting hotter. It was unbearable. She had to think fast. She could have shouted but that will be embarrassing. What if people think she's involved with numbers of boys, one Oliver and the other MALFOY???!

Malfoy leaned over, his lips touching slightly on her cheek, pretending to kiss her. He was enjoying the way he was in control of her, and Hermione can feel that. Malfoy was going to kiss her, body leaned onto her so she couldn't move, but then, Hermione didn't struggle suddenly. She seemed to be relaxed, eyes half-closed. Hermione slid her hand to his waist, pulling him to her. Malfoy stared for a moment, and then smirked, he thought, she's starting to let him lead the moves. He closed his eyes and lowered his face to hers.

"Ricktusempra!" Hermione suddenly shouted. He felt a pain in his stomach then felt a hundred hands tickling him. Hermione had cast a tickling spell on Malfoy with HIS wand which she stole when she slid her hand into his pocket. It wasn't ticklish or anything any more, it was painful! He laughed for all the tickling, and tears rolled down his cheeks with pain.

"It seems your wand is powerful in my hand than in yours," Hermione threw his wand to a far corner; "you deserve it, Malfoy."

Hermione slid carefully out of Malfoy's arms; he couldn't care to hold her anymore. All he could do was laugh and cry. She picked up her wand, and walked to her door, before closing the door, she said the reverse spell. Malfoy stopped struggling, but laid there near to motionless. Hermione locked the door. After all, she didn't want him to die like that. The remaining of the trip was peaceful. Hermione looked out into the blue sky, seeing the clouds drift in the opposite direction as hers. The crispy green grasses moving in the wind... It was quiet all the way; she ate her frog and the beans slowly, since she didn't want them to be finished before the trip ends. Once in a while she heard Malfoy cursing her in the corridor, and following was a painful, "Ow!" His stomach must still hurt.

All the way, Hermione thought about Oliver, what will he say to her confession? Will he care? ... "Just hope he won't dislike me for that. Even if I'm not going to be his girlfriend, I hope he won't ignore me..."

* * *

Back home, Hermione walked into her untouched room. The sky-blue curtains like always, the sea-green blankets and all kind of blue cushions on her bed were all there. Her pearl white table with her moon-shaped lamp...everything just in their places but it was obvious her mom cleaned up the room. She smelt the faint aroma of rose which her mom loved to prepare for her and dad when they came back from school or work.

Hermione smiled, "I was a normal girl when I slept here last time. Tonight, I'm a witch."

"Mommy? Did Linda send letters back home?" Hermione asked, popping her head through the kitchen door.

Mrs. Granger dropped her cook book.

"Are you alright? So... did Linda write?" Hermione looked worried, her mom didn't seem okay, but she still wanted to know about the letter. Linda hadn't written to her since her last letter, the one she sent before she went to Hogwarts.

"..I knew I'll have to tell you...Hermy..." Mrs. Granger wiped her hands with her apron, "Linda's mother phone called me ...A month ago."

"That's after my last letter", Hermione thought. Mrs. Granger looked confused.

"Its okay mom, say it," Hermione had a bad feeling.

"She told me to stop you saying nonsense like magic to her ...daughter," She confessed difficultly.

"I should have known," Hermione sighed.

"But how about Lindy? What did SHE say?" maybe Linda's mother doesn't understand, but maybe the daughter, her BOSOM FRIEND, would.

"...she was the one to...tell her mother about it...she said you're tricking her at first...then she said you sent an owl to her...which scared her a lot...she..." Mrs. Granger turned away to wipe a tear.

Hermione went back to her room, and cried.

* * *

"Hey Hermione, long time no see! Thanks for the Quidditch polish kit," Harry grinned as he gave a friendly punch to Hermione.

"Oh! Uh, yeah, you're welcomed. Thanks for your presents too..." Hermione replied. She had came back to Hogwarts after being home celebrating X'mas with her family.

"What's the matter? Something bad happened back home?"

"Nothing, just nothing, thanks for worrying," Hermione made a weak grin and walked up the stairs to her dormitory.

Harry stared at her. She was walking zigzag and didn't seem to know where she was going to. Harry sighed and ran after her.

"Cm'on Hermione!" He gave her a tug and pulled her down the stairs, through the common room and the fat lady's painting, down the stairway, and out into the back yard (?) of the school. The cold wind was blowing gently, the warm sunshine cradling the two of them. It wasn't as cold as Harry expected.

"Tell me, what happened to you back home? Was it something that happened on the train? Malfoy?" Harry, both hands on Hermione's shoulder, made her sat onto the grass, then he sat down beside her, both eyes focusing on her face. He was very worried about her. "...well Malfoy had really done something but that doesn't matter now," Hermione followed up as she can see Harry's eyebrows rose, "coz I've given him a lesson."

"I'll give him a lesson later! ... And then? What happened?" Harry tried his best to let Hermione feel easy.

".. I...had a... friend...before I came to Hogwarts, called...Linda..." Hermione felt uneasy to say the word 'friend', "but she went to California a month before the summer holidays so we were writing letters to contact..."

Harry nodded.

"Since I came here...I wrote two letters to her but she...didn't reply. So when I got home I asked mom about it...then..." Hermione stopped. Tears were forming. Hermione looked up into the sky hopping the tears will roll back so Harry wouldn't see it.

Harry didn't say anything, he just gazed at Hermione and nodded, he knew what she needed most now wasn't words but support. He just silently waited Hermione to continue, or maybe, to feel easier.

"Then.. I heard from my mother that... that..." Hermione was getting more and more excited, "She thought I was tricking her, THINKS I'M CRAZY, THINKS I'M DIFFERENT, well maybe I AM different from her but I'm a human like her, I'm not a FREAK or something!? Now she doesn't even want me to write to her, her mom even said that I shan't contact her in anyway anymore! I...I!" Hermione burst into tears, Harry, although being a bit embarrassed, knelt near to her, and hugged her, patting her head...comforting her.

Hermione had a good cry in Harry's arms, time flew by, it was seven in the evening and the both of them were getting hungry.

"Grrr..." Harry said, imitating the sound of stomach rumbling, "Hermione? Can you hear your stomach asking you for food?"

"hah? No it's not Harry! I'm not in the mood of..." Hermione stopped, her tummy actually growled and Hermione was sure Harry heard it coz he turned away to laugh.

"I don't understand why people have to be hungry when they are not in the mood of eating!" Hermione shook her head disappointedly.

"Hermione?"

"What?" Hermione looked at him impatiently.

"That's the evidence you are alive," Harry grinned as he said, "no matter how desperate are people, they get hungry, get sleepy, get ANGRY," Hermione smiled, "you still have to live through it."

Hermione sighed... "I'll miss her...and...I still want her to understand, I want her to believe me"

"She would...she would... Go tell her... She would," Harry assured her as they stood shoulder to shoulder staring into the dark.

Hermione looked up, the once blue blue sky was dark as can be and stars were shining among them. The cool wind blew her hair backwards, Hermione gazed at the last quarter moon that seemed to have a speck of redness in it, and smiled a bit...

Harry looked at her, she seemed still hurt, but better after she cried, at lease she was not fake-smiling anymore... He had a strange fast heart- beat for a moment, but stopped himself. "This is NOT happening to me."

"Harry?" Hermione turned to look at him.

"Hmm?" Harry replied, turning to the sky, looking away from her.

"Thank you," Hermione turned back to the moon... they both smiled.

* * *

"Where have you two been?!" Ron came running with a worried face.

" Sorry Ron. Gees, you must have been EVERYWHERE searching us. Look at all these dusts!" Hermione ran over to Ron and patted the dust off Ron's sweater. (Wonder where he had been searching!)

"EVERYWHERE?! I've been absolutely EVERYWHERE! In the library, other common rooms (except Slytherin's), GOD! I almost thought of going into the girl's washroom to find you! Gees! One moment you two were in the common room talking, then I went up to my dorm just to get my chess board, next second you two were 'POOF!' Gone! Almost thought you two abonded me and..."

"Ron, RON! It's okay, we're okay, just to sort problems that's all," Harry winked at Hermione, "we're back" Harry made a calm down pose and grinned, " you're a real good friend" and gave his usual friendly punch to Ron.

Hermione suddenly burst into tears and cried, "You two are the best of best friends!!"

"Hey cmon' Hermione, don't cr.." Harry and Ron walked near to her taking out their hankies. Hermione threw her arms around both of them and laughed as she cried. The boys joined in the laugh.

"You're weird Hermione, you are," Ron said with a grin. 


	4. Our Wishes

IV Our Wishes

"What lesson's next Miss Brainy?" Ron laughed asking, munching his toast.

"Herbology, your toast crumbs are everywhere, Mr. Dusty Crumbs," Hermione joked.

"Herbs?! Gees I heard we're gonna do some sort of...what was it?" Harry asked with puzzlement.

"We're going to learn about kalestina plants which will bite if you don't handle properly, Mr. Forgetful!" Hermione giggled and she took out her Herbology notes to check if she were right.

"That's right! Biters kalestina! I heard Fred said it's horrible! It sort of bites even if it's a bit not pleased with you...and something else.." Harry explained in a worried tone.

"Hmm...hope it's okay,..." Ron said, "but I'm only worried I can't eat more gooseberry cakes now, yummy!" he reached for the last gooseberry cake but it was taken by George, or Fred.

("Oi!" Ron shouted.)

("First ones first!" Fred grinned)

("It's mine, Fred!" George grabbed the cake out of Fred's hand.)

"Morning, Hermione! This is noisy here! I know I'm sort of annoying...but I heard you confessed to Oliver?" it was Angelina.

"Huh? What?? You did!?"Ron was fighting for the cake with Fred and George or Greg and Forge but suddenly let go of them and turned to shake Hermione with astonishment.

"Ai! Ow! Don't shake! Yes, I did...so?" Hermione pushed Ron off and turned to Angelina.

"Well...Oliver's been acting strange lately, that's what Ray told me," Angelina said with a blush, "Ray said he's like floating in air, smiling lots these days...just wondering maybe that he also..."

Hermione blushed; trying not to show her overwhelmed happiness, but couldn't hide her super grin.

She didn't notice Ron frowned but Angelina did. No one noticed that Harry suddenly looked down and ate silently. 

All through Herbology, Harry was daydreaming; he didn't even notice he was bitten by a Kalestina flower until someone told him. Ron was worst, he didn't listen to what the professor said and cursed (or swore to) the kalestina until it was mad at him and wouldn't listen to him at all and bit him all the way. Hermione shook her head and sighed as she helped Madam Pomfrey rub healing cream on their bleeding fingers.

"I have no idea what you two were thinking when you should be taking care of a biting plant!" Hermione said angrily, "you know it can actually kill you if it bites too much? Kalestinas are poisonous!! And look at your hands!"

Harry and Ron both looked down, their hands were purple and black, Ron scratched his left hand, it was extremely itchy. Harry seemed not to feel anything. But they both didn't reply. Hermione sighed as she strolled off, "I'm going to the library, bye" Hermione looked through the Herbology book racks, "Caring Herbs", "EVERGREEN PLANTS and how they grow", "Herb and Medicines", "HERB with POISON, and how to heal" Hermione's eyes blinked when she saw this book; she pulled it out and started flipping through the pages...

"Hi," a kind face tilted down in front of her, Oliver smiled shyly at Hermione.

"AH! Oh, wow, ..h..Hi!" Hermione said aloud, a few students turned to look at where she was. Hermione clasped her mouth and blushed.

"Hello...um...what are you doing?" Oliver was obviously finding topics to chat about.

"Oh...um... Well, Harry and Ron was bitten by poisonous plants today, I am finding information to help them feel better... hmmm..k...k...kk... ka...hmm..." Hermione flipped through the pages...trying to hide her blushing face.

"I see..." Oliver seemed to be frowning a bit.

"Oh ...there isn't kalestina in this..." Hermione put the book back to place and started searching again.

"Kalestinas? If you're finding that...I have information of healing that in my Herbology book. Wanna have a look?" Oliver suggested.

Hermione nodded and following him blushing, she knew this meant she can have the chance to go to his room. "Hey, look!" someone shouted.

Fred and George turned to see Oliver helping Hermione through the painting, they whistled and grinning slyly, shouted out loud, "George dear, did you know about our captain and his crush?"

"Oh yes Fred honey, I heard that just now, he was walking through the Fat Lady with her, isn't he?" and the whole house's laugh roared through the common room and up the stairs.

"Come on, don't mind them..." Oliver pulled her hand and walked up the stairs.

Hermione blushed, her hair as red as Ron's, she couldn't believe she was actually holding hands with him.

Some heads poked out of their dormitory doors and stared at them...

After a long walk up the stars, Oliver stopped in front of a door. The names of Oliver and three other boys were writing on a golden plate. Oliver turned the door knob and the door creaked as it opened, leading Hermione into his room. Hermione looked around; she could feel the difference in this room and Harry and Ron's room. The room itself had an slight atmosphere of matures in it, there was a smell of men (not the smelly type, the mild type, you may not know what I mean) and like Harry and Ron, Quidditch posters were everywhere. The players were throwing Quaffles until they saw Hermione coming in through the door. They looked suspiciously as if they've never seen a girl before.

"Well?" Oliver asked, grinning at her.

"Ohm...nice" Hermione can't think of anything to say, she was overwhelmed that he couldn't find words to explain.

Oliver kind of smirked, but in a different way of Draco's, rather nice to look at. He turned to his book shelf to get the Herbology book down, he gave it to Hermione.

Hermione sat down on his bed and started reading, "Kalestina... Hum...here it is!" Hermione showed the page to Oliver.

"I'll write it down on my notes."

"I've got a better way ...let me show you..." Oliver took out his wand, "Prinito"

The words suddenly flew out of the pages in a row and floated into a blank page in Hermione's notes, forming words that looked like printed words, (or maybe it was). Hermione opened her eyes wide.

"Wow! That's fantastic!!" she exclaimed. "Thanks Oliver, that saved a lot of time," Hermione smiled as she looked through the notes about kalestina.

Oliver sat down beside Hermione and looked at her. Hermione tried to pretend she didn't notice him staring and went on reading her notes, but blushing hard.

Hermione..."

"...yes...?"Hermione's voice trembled as she replied.

"...you know...I will be leaving for 4 months, don't you?" Oliver was looking at the wall, trying to be calm.

"I do, Oliver," Hermione answered. What was coming? She thought inside.

"...will you wait for me? These months...even I won't be here?" Oliver's voice was trembling...a bit. Hermione opened her eyes wide, looking bewildered, "do you need to ask?"

"You wouldn't think it's a waste of time? Four months...isn't short" Oliver asked.

"No way!" Hermione frowned as she tilted her body towards him, "no way Oliver," she whispered.

Oliver leaned into her face...

Hermione came down the stairs with Oliver; everyone stared at them with curiosity. Harry and Ron were sitting near the burning fire, from their view; they could clearly see the couple was holding hands. The mad fire in Ron was burning even more madly.

"Yuk," was Ron's comment, he turned to his Herbology homework once more, a sulky frown forming on his face.

The professor was mad that the two of them weren't listening in lessons, so they had extra homework, and the injuries he got in the lessons were itchy too. Now seeing Hermione flirting at Oliver made his frown even deeper. As for Harry, he just shook his head and never looked at the lovers again.

* * *

Hermione and Oliver, Angelina and Ray sat together at the table at dinner. (Ray secretly slipped to the Gryffindor table) The four of them chatted happily. The meal was delicious and everything was romantic for a new couple like Hermione and Oliver.

Ron and Harry strolled into the Dining Hall, and sat at a far corner from Hermione and the others. They didn't do that on purpose, they just naturally walked away from that corner crowded with the couples.

"Lonely without mudblood around, Potter?" that nasty unpleasant voice rang in Harry's ears. He didn't need to look up, who else but Draco Malfoy was looking down at him.

"Shut up," Harry said bluntly.

"Isn't it manners to look at who's speaking when people talk to you Potter? Haven't your parents taught you? Oh!" Draco grinned evilly, "I forgot, Potty didn't have one."

Malfoy was totally on Ron's nerves, he almost stood up to biff Malfoy on the chin but Harry pulled his shirt under the table to stop him from standing up. Malfoy laughed out loud and stalked off.

"Why did you stop me!?!?!?!? He did that on purpose!!" Ron shouted furiously.

"Shhh...Didn't you see Snape's lurking to catch us fighting? We'll lose more points," Harry said, signaling Ron to look at the teacher's table.

Surely, Snape was looking this way; he turned away as soon as Ron looked at him.

"Who cares? I'm gonna teach him a lesson someday, I WOULD!!!!" Ron gritted his teeth.

Hermione had heard the shouting from Ron and the nasty laugh from Malfoy, she looked up and remembered the information she got about kalestina. She stood up to give the note to them.

"Where are you going Herm?" Oliver asked.

Hermione smiled sweetly; "just to give Harry this note, I'll be back soon" she gave a kiss to Oliver's cheek and left for the other corner of the table.

"Herm" she smiled at the thought, "he's calling me Herm"

Hermione took a seat beside Harry, which was empty. "Here," she said.

"huh?" Harry seemed surprised that she came. He took the note and flipped it open,

"Kalestina plants," he looked at Hermione's face surprisingly and confused, "mild poisonous plant, may cause death if bitten by?? If itchy, may wash the injured parts with warm water...you found this?"

"Well, actually Oliver gave me that," Hermione smiled embarrassingly.

"Humph" Ron grunted.

"What's the matter Ron?" Hermione turned her gaze at him.

"Nothing," was his reply.

"Well, I got to go," Hermione stood up.

"Huh? Leave?" Harry asked, a slight disappointment was in his voice, Hermione didn't notice that.

"Well...I got to..." Hermione glanced at where Oliver was sitting at.

"She got to find her cutie honey, O-l-i-v-e-r huh!" Ron said with a mild hostility.

"Ro- On!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Well isn't it? Since you got involved with him, you're treating us like air! We're invisible, aren't we? And you're flirting like ---"

"Ron! You're just being biased! I'm not treating you and Harry invisible!? This is the first day I had spent with him this way, now I have my rights don't I?" Hermione couldn't believe what Ron was saying to her.

"Oh sure you do! Some best friends!" Ron shouted.

Hermione didn't reply anymore, she just bit her lower lip and stared at Ron with disappointment. Harry ate his supper quietly, he didn't seem to be there, he wasn't even reacting to all the bizarre the two were making.

"Fine," Hermione stated, she could feel Harry actually agreed with Ron although he wasn't saying anything. So, turned her heels and left them with fury.

* * *

Night time, the moon was hidden behind the clouds; Hermione turned on her lamp light and sat in front of the mirror. She smiled dreamily as she brushed her long bushy hair.

"Sure seems you're having a nice time with Oliver Wood hmm?" Her room mate, Parvati Patil giggled.

Hermione blushed, "it's...like a dream...I'm so happy now" She dreamt of how she kissed with him...how he held her in his strong arms... But then, the vision of Harry and Ron being mad with her came to mind, she frowned slightly, she didn't understand why Ron had to be that angry with her.

"Hm...which year was Oliver Wood in?" Parvati rolled onto her bed; her lavender colored gown flowed around her as she did so. "Fifth, he's having his Owl's," Hermione answered as she stood up, she took off her white cardigan, showing her silky sky blue night gown beneath. She tip toed to where Parvati was lying on, that is, Hermione's bed, and sat beside her.

Parvati straightened herself up suddenly, "Then you won't be seeing each other for...?"

"Four months," Hermione sighed.

"That is LONG...very long...how are you going to live through that? If I were you I couldn't stand being without my boyfriend for that long!" Parvati gasped with surprise.

"I don't know...somehow I know I can live through it... some how...I know I can," Hermione was convincing herself rather than Parvati. She knew she would feel lonely these months...

"Well, you can send owls anytime," Parvati comforted her.

"Right, I can," Hermione smiled, trying to feel better.

"But Ron isn't very happy is he?" Parvati asked, with curiosity "I know, you heard? But why is he that mad I don't know," Hermione said with a frown, Ron must have been speaking very loudly as usual in the dining hall.

"Well...he... don't you know?" Parvati said with astonishment.

"What? Know what?" Hermione questioned, puzzled.

"Err...dunno if I should tell you, but...isn't it obvious that he...likes you...a lot?" Parvati asked.

"HUH?? You mean he likes me coz we're friends (if he still thinks we are), so why ask??" Hermione knew what Parvati meant but still asked because it was too unbelievable for her.

"No, I meant...he loves you Hermione, it's so obvious! Everybody can see that, the way he acted in the dining hall...what else?"

Parvati was right. Hermione recalled her memories, Ron had been very surprised when she first told him she loved Oliver, he was mad when he saw her with him, he blushed each time when Hermione hugged him, he was...was... Hermione could count a hundred things that showed Ron was in love with her, and she didn't notice that all along. What should she do? Meanwhile, Ron and Harry were playing chess in the common room. Unusually, Ron was losing.

"Argh! My bishop!!" Ron hid his face with both hands.

"...Ron...? This is rare you know..." Harry said as he made his move.

"What is? My losing you mean!?" Ron was in a bad mood, he moved his queen.

"Yes...and..." Harry didn't know how to say it.

"What and?" Ron scowled as he lost his queen.

"You're not mad just because Hermione is not being with us, are you?" Harry said directly, he wasn't asking, "you just don't want her to be with Oliver, right?"

Ron didn't reply, it wasn't needed anyway, Harry knew. "...I think we can't help it, you know...you can't force her to leave who she loves just because you love her...ya know..." Harry rubbed his messy hair.

"I know I know! Don't accuse me, will you? I can't help it, you know? Hey...So you knew I..." Ron sighed, "I bet she don't though...she's smart, but dumb when it comes ...to love," Ron found it difficult to say the word "love".

"So...maybe we can sort it out, or do you not want to be friends with her because she is going out with Oliver?" Harry asked him, he had been wondering for a while about this. Wondering what Ron decided, and what he himself is deciding.

"We're not 'friends' Harry, now I noticed I...love her, she couldn't be a 'friend' to me anymore," Ron shook his head bitterly.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione was still thinking about what Parvati had told her last night, she had thought allover it and was quite sure...Parvati was right about Ron.

As she walked into the Great Hall, to her surprise, Ron was there, waiting for someone...wonder who it was...

Hermione hesitated for a moment. Then she walked pass him without looking, he didn't call her to stop... So who he's waiting for!? "Hermione!" Ron shouted. So he WAS waiting for her.

"What Ron?" Hermione pretended to be as mad as she was yesterday, but she wasn't now.

"I...have to talk to you, tonight, after Potions, k?" Ron asked timidly.

"...okay..."

"Right, right, see you in Professor Binn's classroom! Bye!" Ron went off running, then, stopped running and walked. He noticed he looked weird running like that.

Hermione stared at him for a moment then went into the Dining Hall to find her boyfriend. She didn't notice a guy was listening to hers and Ron's conversation all the time.

* * *

After Potions,

"Well, Ron? What do you want to...say?" Hermione leaned her body on a desk and asked. She hoped it wasn't what she was thinking he would.

"I have to apologize for what I've said ...about you flirting...Erm...Sorry" Ron wasn't good at conversing.

"Oh!...ok..." Hermione felt the load on her shoulders was off, "nothing more I suppose?" she asked hopefully.

"Huh? No! Yes I mean there is...a little confession...I need to make..." Ron panicked.

"Hermione...okay here goes, I LOVE YOU, I mean it! Not joking or anything...that's why I acted weirdly yesterday morning, I was... jealous, I'm really sorry for all the offence you got, I know this sounds weird too, but I just have to say this ...I Love You Hermione Granger, I do...it's not only friends, i mean, more than that...I love you" Ron said in one go, his voice was shaking...waiting Hermione to make a reply... Hermione wasn't leaning on the desk anymore, she was stunned, staring at Ron in a surprised manner, he had said "I love you" three times in a row.

Ron gazed at her, she wasn't replying and his heart is thumping so fast that it's almost going to fly out of his chest. What is she going to say? Somehow he knew it wouldn't be a good answer, but he had to give it a try. Rather than never letting her know.

"Ron ...I like you a lot, you know that...but...I'm sorry, to me, you are a good friend, not more, not less...a very good friend. So I cannot be your lover," Hermione replied at last, she felt a sharp pain in her heart, it wasn't an easy thing to say, to hurt someone you cared for.

Ron didn't reply. He looked away from her.

Hermione stood there not moving; she bit her lips and didn't look at Ron directly. She didn't know what she can do to hurt him less, which was the best she can say.

"Please...would you leave me here...for a moment...? You can go back first, I...Need time to sort myself...out..." tears were forming in Ron's eyes, "Please go."

Hermione walked over to the door, it creaked as she pulled it open. She turned and looked at Ron's back for the last time and slipped out of Professor Binn's classroom, leaving Ron to sort things out. Ron cried his body shaking vigorously as he hit the wall several times. He punched the wall hard until his hands bleed. He knew the answer he knew it, it felt better saying rather than hiding it inside and not letting it go. It felt better but the bitterness wouldn't leave.

_I wish... I had never told her. No, I don't wish that, I ...still love her...I couldn't accept it. I just couldn't...I...wish I could..._

Hermione ran all the way to the end of corridor, her eyes swollen as she had cried her heart out. She wasn't the one who should be crying but she couldn't help it. She never wanted to hurt her best friend.

_I wish he never told me he loved me, or rather I never needed to tell him I don't. Why do people have to hurt someone when you don't want to? Refusing isn't a crime, you don't lie or kill anyone or accuse them but you feel guilty. You have to face the facts and say it. Why...have I had to say it when I never wanted to hurt him...why..._

Hermione sobbed as she sat there her back against the wall. She couldn't stand it. She cried.

A guy was standing beside the wall. It wasn't Ron; he was still in the classroom. "What the hell are you doing here?!" Hermione turned away from the blond hair boy; she couldn't show HIM her tears.

"Some boys do love mudbloods don't they?" Draco smirked.

"Get lost, I'm not in a good mood now Malfoy," Hermione hissed. She wiped her tears and stood up to leave.

"Okay, I'll get lost," Draco started to walk away, towards where Hermione had come from.

Hermione sighed as she started walking.

"Maybe I'll go in and tease the poor red hair boy," Malfoy said out loud enough for Hermione to hear.

Hermione turned as fast as a lightning bolt, "don't you ever!" She pulled hard at Draco's shirt.

Draco turned to her smirking and held Hermione's waist, he banged the door beside him, which opened. He pulled her in vigorously.

"OW! Stop it you freak! I don't want to have anything to do with you!" Hermione screeched.

"Then don't tug at MY shirt, young lady," he stroked her hair and kissed her cheek.

"Stop it! Anyway, why were you here in the first place! You should have been at the Dining Hall!" Hermione tried to force him off. Draco wasn't going to give in that easily.

"I heard you and weasel talking in the great hall, so I found it amazing to give you a surprise," he laughed.

"Still wanna say you want nothing to do with me after you tug me, huh?" he made the nasty trade mark smirk.

"Oh yes, get off!" Hermione shouted in his ears.

Draco tugged harshly and threw her to the floor, "you look good with swollen eyes." He stared at her face.

Hermione blushed, she had completely forgotten she was crying, and then she remembered Ron. It seemed that she could still hear Ron crying...out there...tears formed in her eyes. "Cry baby, nothing to cry now I am here, babe," Draco cooed rather nastily.

Hermione frowned, "get off me,"

"No way until someone else does save you Granger, I suppose that weasel couldn't hear you, huh? He's too busy with his heart broken, huh?"

Hermione started crying, she didn't care if Malfoy would see it, she hurt Ron, now he's totally down, and she's in this status without any help. No one could get her out of this. Her tears rolled down her rosy cheeks, leaving stains on them.

Draco's expression winched for a second. He was a nasty fellow, but never did he want to hurt her this much. He straightened up a bit from his pose, which he was laying over Hermione. He got up and knelt beside her, Hermione was still was crying, she didn't notice that Draco had sat up.

Draco looked at her, "Did I over do it?" he thought. He started to feel guilty for what he had said and done, and for the first time in his life, he whispered, "Sorry..."

And Hermione heard it.

She sobbed hardly, still couldn't recover from the pain, but slowly, she sat up. Without a word, Draco gave her his handkerchief. He was quite moved, he didn't dare to say another word in case he might say something bad again absent-mindly.

"Thank you..." She wiped her tears and blew her nose hard. As Draco stood up and gave her a hand, the both heard footsteps outside.

"Ron? Hermione?! Are you there?" A male voice shouted, "Where the hell are you?"

The footsteps stopped in front of the door of the room they are in. Hermione didn't need to see, she knew who it was. The door opened. Harry walked into the room, surprised to see Hermione and... "MALFOY?!!?!" Harry roared, "What have you done to her!"

It wasn't surprising he was this mad, Hermione's shirt had been tugged hard, a few buttons were off, and what more she was crying her eyes out and her face was absolutely red.

"Last time I wasn't there to give you a piece of my mind. But this time I'm not going to forgive you!!!" Harry took out his wand and prepared to hex Draco. He was extremely mad at him for all three times for what Malfoy had done to Hermione.

"No Harry listen, it isn't what you think! Malfoy he ..." Hermione tried to help Malfoy.

Harry didn't move his wand; he stared at Draco and turned to Hermione. He hesitated for a moment, but when he saw Hermione's appearance, his anger rose, "Rove..."

"NOOOOO Harry! No...please...forgive him...he apologized already. And he didn't do anything to me...well he kissed my cheek...but really, nothing else, so please..." Hermione begged.

Harry looked at her, and then slowly, put down his wand, "if you say so," he sighed.

"Leave before we do Malfoy," he sneered angrily.

Malfoy picked up his cloak and stepped out of the room. "Where is Ron?" Harry asked.

Hermione sobbed as she hugged Harry hard, she had been crying since Malfoy left.

"I wish I never needed to say it, I wish I never hurt him, I wish I didn't refuse..." Hermione shook her head hard at the thought of Ron crying. He never cried until this.

"Does that mean you love Ron?" Harry asked.

"No, I am totally in doubt with that, he's a perfect friend to me though...but maybe i am no friend to him now..." Hermione snuffed.

"...Come on Hermione,...it's okay...he will recover...he...will...So don't wish you never told him...it'll hurt him more if you went out with him when you don't love him..." Harry patted her head, trying to comfort her. He felt a pain somewhere in his heart, but decided to ignore it.


	5. Faith in You

V Faith in You

"Feeling better?" Harry asked Hermione as he sat down beside her. It was the morning after the night's painful incident.

Hermione looked up and looked behind him as if to suspect someone else, then she sigh a sigh of relief. She couldn't face Ron yet.

"Better...well...a bit...Harry, how is.. Ron?" Hermione questioned worriedly.

"...he said he has no appetite ...he told me to come down and I made him promise he would be there for Potions," this time Harry sighed, "it's okay ...he'll be okay."

He tried to make Hermione feel better. Since, as if eating there when Ron had no appetite was a sin, she stopped eating sorrowfully at the moment she heard Harry said so. Suddenly, he noticed something. "Hermione? Where's Wood?" Harry asked.

"...he's busy with his studies so he's eating in his bedroom with the other Fifth Years. I don't want to disturb him so I came down to eat." Hermione replied, she seemed a bit unhappy about that.

"He's leaving after the next match, two weeks later right?"

"...yeah...two weeks...fourteen days..." Hermione's voice lowered as she replied.

"...But he'll be back by four months?"

"yeah..." Honestly, Hermione WAS scared. 'Four months isn't short' Parvati was right. She couldn't help being scared. And now, she hadn't even fixed up Ron's problem too, "I'm so mixed up..." Hermione confessed to Harry.

"Four months... It's like waiting the next Quidditch match," Harry grinned.

"Quidditch?" Hermione said surprisingly, "why Quidditch?"

"He's coming back before the next match right? That's like waiting Quidditch, you feel excited about it, you feel worried about it, but you know it will come surely, right?" Harry grinned. Hermione somehow got the message, "You are excited, you are worried, you are scared, but it will come," Hermione repeated Harry's meaning, then smiled a bit.

"Lastly, have faiths in yourself and in him, then I believe, 'POOF!' 4 months isn't anything!" Harry grinned broadly, "you can make it Hermione, you are strong enough to do so."

He knew he meant what he said, but he WAS unwilling to believe his own statement, especially the 'have faiths in him' part. He punched himself for being mean.

'How could you think that way when she's happy about it?' he scolded himself.

"What are you doing?!" Hermione gasped with surprised.

Harry blushed, "nothing..haha..." he didn't realize he was really punching himself and Hermione saw it.

"Well...I guess I can stand it, after all...I'm a Gryffindor ya know." Hermione smiled.

"Brave Gryffindors," Harry puffed his chest as he joked.

They both giggled and left the Dining Hall for the dungeons, Professor Snape's Potions Class. Hermione wondered if Ron would really be there.

* * *

"Okay class...we are starting a new chapter...we are going to learn how to brew the magical truth potion. It needs a complex process, so I am not expecting you to... look at me when I am lecturing Miss Granger! Three points from Gryffindor." Snape frowned evilly.

Hermione blushed as she turned back to her book. She had always paid attention in classes, but she was extremely worried. Ron wasn't there.

"I am not expecting anyone of you to succeed, but this lesson is for basic training of brewing the magic out of..." Snape continued.

"I told him to come," Harry whispered, trying not to move his lips.

"I know..." Hermione whispered back.

"One point from Gryffindor for talking in classes, one more time Miss Granger, and I'll give you a good detention that might help you to pay attention in my classes." Snape hissed.

The Slytherin students giggled quietly, Malfoy smirked. He had turned back to his own self even after the last incidence. But he didn't tease/disturb Hermione till now.

Hermione blushed as she turned back to her book. She didn't hear anything Snape was saying. Her mind was overloading with her wariness towards Ron. The only thing that helped her to go through this lesson was that she had prepared it two nights ago. She still could remember how to make the potion correctly. Thank God.

* * *

"RON! I thought I HEARD you said you WOULD come to potions!!" Harry shouted at Ron who was lying on his bed.

"I didn't feel like it," Ron said, his face turned to the wall.

"Nobody feels like it except Malfoy, Ron," Harry sighed.

"It is not funny Harry," Ron said.

Harry rolled his eyes and when over to Ron's bed with fury, "get up RIGHT NOW!" He tugged Ron hard with both arms. Ron, eyes still red like tomatoes, shook Harry's hands off and turned back to the wall. Muttering under his breathe.

"RON!!" Harry shouted.

Hermione ran into the room, she had been standing behind the door, "Please Harry, let him be...please..." She pulled Harry's arm and walked out of Harry and Ron's dormitory door, eye's getting red.

"Don't feel sorry for me Hermione Granger," "I don't need you sympathizing me" Ron said bluntly.

"How could you say that! Ron,..." Harry made Hermione let go and stomped towards Ron but Hermione was faster,

Splat! She slapped Ron hard on the face.

"...What did you do that for?" Ron covered his redden left cheek with his left palm, his eyes big as Dobby's with astonishment. They had fought not only once but this was the first time she actually physically hurt him.

"Ron, I am saying this once and for all, if you still couldn't get it then it's all over, I said that you are a friend to me, not more, not less. I do not want this to interfere into our friendship we had endured. I KNOW it was short, not even a year we've met, but don't all the things we've shared together mean something? ...Something to you?"

Hermione stopped, staring at Ron nodding her head slightly and her eyes getting more and more swollen. She looked at him with serious eyes. She knew if this moment, this moment, Ron still doesn't understand that she wants to be friends once more. Maybe not like before but still FRIENDS, they'll never get to talk to each other normally like before. At lease Ron wouldn't let her.

Ron tried to speak, but stopped himself, hesitating to say what he knew he wanted to say.

"Well Ron?" Harry, who had been standing beside Hermione nervously, spoke.

"..Sorry guys...please give me...some time...I need to think...please...tell Professor Sprout I'm skipping her class...whatever the reason. I couldn't concentrate anyway..." Ron said and waved his hand as he sat on his bed.

"And? You're gonna do the same thing as you did when I talked to you this morning and think about nothing again?" Harry said tiredly, "No way, Ron! What else do you need to think about?!"

"Everything, so go now, please, leave me alone!" Ron frowned, his voice getting higher.

Hermione stepped to where Ron was sitting and bent her body down to see his face, saying, "I'm not leaving Ron, I need the answer now. You'll just avoid me to avoid this question; you know I'm not going to ask again. So answer me, NOW."

"...Hermione... you know...I still can't accept it...I know I have to accept that answer but...but this is...JUST TOUGH." Ron shoved his head into his all- wet pillow and shivered, clearly he was crying.

Hermione opened her eyes, slapping her face for dozing off. Harry sat opposite of her, on the rug. Ron was still in his bed. The three of them had altogether skipped Prof. Sprout's classes, since nobody CAN concentrate in her classes with their minds so overload with thoughts.

"I can't believe it, I've skipped classes three times this year, Transfigurations, Potions and Herbs! I wonder if I can follow up with the classes," Hermione shook her head.

"Don't worry, you never had problems with skipping classes, Harry and I may suffer later though,"

Hermione looked up, Harry turned to her face.

"Did you just speak?" Hermione asked him.

"Never a word," Harry replied.

Both looked at Ron. He was sitting up now, back to his character, the casual young self with red hair. But the color had come off a bit after all the crying.

"So? Are we going to have dinner or not?" Ron grinned (rather weakly though)

"You bet we will," Harry went over to him and wrestled him to the floor.

Hermione smiled as she went over, and hugged Ron.

"Hoh! Hermione...err...!" Ron exclaimed.

"Uoops! Sorry..." Hermione blushed, "don't ever say we're not friends again." She warned.

"When did I say that?" Ron wondered.

"You said to Harry, he told me," she grinned.

"Oh alright! Some best friends Harry," Ron grinned.

"Some best friends!" Harry laughed.

The 3 walked off to eat dinner.

Friends they were, but things are changing...bit by bit.

* * *

The warm sun shines on the Hogwarts School grounds. February, it was early spring. The weather, the wind, the humidity was JUST right for the last Quidditch game before the 5th years and the 7th years leave for their exams, O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s.

"10 points to Hufflepuff!!!" Lee Jordan's voice rang through the Quidditch grounds.

"Noooooooo!!!!" came disappointed voices from the Gryffindor fans.

And of course the Hufflepuffs cheered.

"Come on, Johnson!!" Oliver shouted with nearly madness as Angelina got the Quaffle from a Hufflepuff chaser, William Jones. He was really angry that he let the Quaffle fly pass him. This was his last match before he left Hogwarts for O.W.L.s.

"And Angelina Johnson, chaser of Gryffindor gets the Quaffle -- slips pass two Hufflepuff beaters. Arghhh!! A Bludger is speeding towards her! Take care beautiful John---"

"Jordan!!!!" Prof. McGonagall screamed at the top of her lungs. She didn't need a microphone to let the whole audience hear her voice.

Everyone turned back to the Quidditch match, Fred or George had just beaten the Bludger towards a Hufflepuff before it hits Johnson.

"Great Weasly, Oh mighty! And Angelina Johnson speeds to score, Uoops Hufflepuff chaser Gridwin Landon is blocking her way--- Johnson aims well, throws the Quaffle. Landon MISSES! AND ---- GRYFINNDOR SCORES!!!!!!!!!"

The whole Gryffindor fans scream and cheered, Oliver did a somersault. Hufflepuff was tying with the Gryffindors now.

"10 points to Gryffindors mates, and---- What the..?!" Jordan widen his eyes and stared at the sky and continued reporting, "Harry Potter, the Seeker of Gryffindors is speeding down like lightening, top speed-- towards the grass grounds, towards the-----"

Everyone gulped as Harry pulls his broom up at the nick of time before hitting face to the ground. And in his hand was...

"The Snitch!!!!" Lee Jordan shouted excitedly, "Harry Potter has took the snitch in----5 minutes since the match started!!!" he checked the stop watch, "Gryffindor won 150 points to Hufflepuff!! Gryffindor WON!!!!"

"This was the fastest match I had ever played Harry!!!" Oliver shouted as he hugged him hard. Everyone cheered. Hermione and Ron ran down to celebrate with the Gryffindor team players. Harry grinned wildly as everyone picked him up. Especially the fifth and seventh years in Gryffindor, they were glad to win before they go to their exams. Hermione ran to Oliver and hugged him, everyone was happy. (Except Ron, at the moment when he saw Hermione kissing Oliver)

"I guess I have to get used to it..." he sighed as he went off to Harry and congratulate him.

* * *

"Hey Guys!!!" Fred and George Weasly, wearing red and yellow party hats on their heads shouted together, "It's PARTY TIME!!!!!!!!"

BOOM!!!

Smoke puffed out of the twins' wands and when the smoke faded away, the red- haired twins were on the red common room carpet suddenly. Instead, food of all kinds was seen on the table, Black Forest cakes, Creamy fruit cakes, chips and sweets, pudding and pie, butterbeer and chocolate fizzes and more and more!

Everybody ate and sang, shouted and played. All the time Harry was surrounded by people, Hermione was no where to be seen, so was Oliver, they must be in her or his room. Ron could say nothing to that. Oliver was leaving the next day, early morning. Frowning, he walked up the stairs to get his chess board. But when he got down, he noticed no one was going to play with him. He walked back up again, his frown deepening.

"Ron!? Sleep already?" Harry shouted as he squeezed through the crowd to the stairs.

"...not really, just thinking of putting this back, anyway no one's going to play now, right?" Ron replied, turning back up the stairs again, sighing loudly.

"Ron? Hey I'll pl---"

"Harry!!!" Connie Lenten screamed in her highly pitched voice, interrupting Harry. She was jingling her sparkling ear-rings as she squeezed through the crowds with her mob of friends following her.

"Come and play tramp with us wont you," She blinked her big blue eyes, smiling, and flipped her tied up hazel hair off her shoulder as she said so. Her friends giggled. Obviously, Connie was interested in Harry.

"Erm...later...maybe..."

"Oh come on!" Connie and the girls wined.

Ron sighed and said bluntly, "Go on Harry, I'll go to sleep anyway," and walked up the stairs, his long trousers sweeping the floor as he went.

"Ron!" Harry called as he tried to get to the stairs, but the girls were in his way.

Ron didn't turn back, he felt lonely, but he knew he was the one who didn't give Harry a chance.

"Ron?" a girl's voice called from above.

Ron looked up, two girls were walking down the stairs, it was Hermione and Parvati.

"Oh hello, Hermione...and Parvati," Ron grinned thoughtlessly, noticing that he had almost forgotten Parvati's name.

The two girls nodded.

"Hi...sleep already?" Hermione asked curiously, "everyone is partying down there, right? Did we miss anything?"

"Nope...it wasn't much fun...I wanted to play chess but Harry seemed busy so..." Ron explained. But it wasn't true; Harry could have been with him if Ron had let him.

"Chess?" Parvati's eyes blinked, "Can I play?"

"Do you know?" Ron asked in surprise, "This is the first time I've heard you can play chess."

"Oh, sure do! My big brother, Paul, is insane about chess playing and he sort of taught me when I was just 5 or 6, wanna have a go with me?" Parvati grinned slyly.

"Sure," Ron grinned, at lease he wasn't lonely now.

They decided to play downstairs, Hermione followed down to see what deserts she can taste for. She picked a nice slice of Black Forest Cake with a red cherry on it and looked around for a seat as she tasted a bite. It was delicious.

"Where's our captain, Hermione?" one of the Weasly twins asked her.

"Hi, Fred...George?" Hermione asked with puzzlement.

"Fred. Where's he, your darling?" Fred laughed.

Hermione looked at him with a fed up look and said he went to sleep...he'll be on the 5am train tomorrow morning and he needed some rest.

"Hm...but shouldn't he be down here with the others celebrating Quidditch? You know, it's his life," George Weasly came into conversation.

"Yes...I asked him but he said he wanted to rest..." Hermione wasn't thinking that Oliver wants to celebrate or anything like that, instead ...

"But I believe you're not happy that he doesn't want to spend the last night with you?" George lowered his head so his eye-level is same as Hermione.

"Yeah, See Angelina and Ray? They don't care about tomorrow morning; it's the last night for 4 months..." Fred added.

Hermione glanced at Angelina and Ray; they were in each other's arms and chatting, as if the whole world was only of the two of them. She couldn't help feeling jealous. She and Oliver didn't have much time being together that way.

He had been studying hard this month, and four months were following on. Hermione didn't reply Fred or George's question, but changed the subject and chatted a bit, then ate up her cake and went over to where Ron and Parvati was.

They were fighting chess seriously.

Hermione peered into their game. The white queen was hitting the black pawn onto the floor. Hermione looked carefully. Although she wasn't a good player, she could see that white is winning.

"Ron's white?" Hermione asked without thinking.

"No, I am/she is," Ron and Parvati replied in the same time.

Hermione's jaws dropped, "Parvati you're winning him??!"

Parvati grinned, her mind still spinning to avoid Ron to get in lead, which he was, a few minutes before.

Ron frowned and said with disbelieve, "I've never seen a girl playing this good, Arghhh!!!"

The white's queen kicked a black knight away, Parvati laughed happily as Ron's knight was pulled off the board by her queen, "I told you my chess- crazy brother trained me good!"

"You see girls can play good now, eh?" Hermione giggled, "Where's the guy who always said that girls can't play?"

"You can't win me anyway," Ron shouted as he rubbed his hair.

"I can," Parvati grinned.

Ron growled.

"Hey...I got to sleep...I'm going to send Oliver tomorrow morning,"

"Goodnight," said Parvati.

"Ng..." Ron replied as he concentrated on the game, "hey it's my turn!" He said to Parvati.

Hermione smiled as Parvati and Ron played on, Parvati was the only girl apart from her own self that she had seen Ron frowning at. She then turned and saw Angelina and Ray kissing through the corner of her eye, sighing, she couldn't help but feeling lonely.

"I'm getting more and more greedy...I want him more...I don't want him to leave..." Hermione sighed. She already felt she miss him... and tomorrow, he'll be leaving...

* * *

The sky was still dark. Everything was still as still and nothing moved, there was no wind blowing either. Then a speck of light shone to the sky. It turned the pitch black sky to violet, violet to purple red; purple to red...

Hermione was staring up at this changing sky. She had been awake since 3am. Actually, she didn't have much sleep, her mind was so stuffed with thoughts, and nothing could make her peaceful and sleep soundly.

She sighed as she walked away from the window and took her gown off. She wore her silky white dress as she watched the sky turning into a marvelous orange color. Night was dawning. She yawned as she picked up her woolen baby pink cardigan.

"The time has come," was her only thought at the moment. Oliver is leaving by 5am.

Hermione walked out of the Great Hall. In a distance, she could see a mob of fifth years and their friends sending them off at the Hogwarts Station.

She walked fast; she didn't want to miss the chance to talk to Oliver. Searching for him in the crowd, she saw Ray and Angelina with a tall guy who has brown hair. It must be him.

"Oliver!" Hermione shouted.

The guy turned, Oliver greeted her with a smile as Hermione walked over to him.

"Thought I won't see you here..." Oliver said as he hugged her warmly in his arms.

Last time Oliver hugged her at this same place before X'mas holidays because she was leaving. This time, it was he who was leaving. And it wasn't just for a week or a month; it was four long months not seeing each other. Hermione felt a chill of cold run up her spine. A hundred feelings were mixed up together deep inside her. She held back her tears, knowing she wanted to cry but she shouldn't cry. Oliver will be worried if she did.

A sharp sound of a whistle indicated the train was going to leave.

"I guess it's time guys," Oliver said as he let Hermione go, she tried not to hold him tight as he did.

"What's the matter?" Oliver looked down at her.

Hermione shook her head and looked up, showing her best smile, "Wish you good luck Oliver; I know you'll do great."

Oliver grinned as he rubbed her head with his hand, "See ya Herm" Then he walked to the train cabinet's entrance and hopped in. He walked straight into the cabinet and didn't turn back. Hermione kept looking for him, after half a minute he appeared behind a window, sitting down with Ray. Ray turned to the window and waved (at Angelina) and Oliver notices this and waved too. Hermione smiled, she smiled and waved with all her might.

Whoosh!

The train whistled hard. Everyone backed away from the tracks. Hermione kept waving Oliver smiled at her as she did. The train started to move, puffs of smoke puffed out of the train chimney. The red train gained speed, running faster and faster, getting farther and farther. Getting smaller and smaller...

There was only smog left at the platform. Everyone started leaving. When the smoke had finally faded away, the only person to be seen on the platform was a girl in a white dress, crouching on the platform floor, hugging her knees to her body, head down...and crying painfully.

* * *

A swoosh of the train whistle can be heard from far away... and her lover had left with it. 2 months passed by slowly. Hermione counted everyday, crossing out days on her calendar, wishing the day would come faster. She had sent two owls to Oliver but non replies till now.

It was a warm spring morning. Everyone was eating breakfast; Hermione looked up as the owls flew in to give their owners their parcels. She put down her spoon and waited and waited, but no owl flew down for her. Ron's owl flew down to give him his chocolate cookies from Mrs. Weasly. Hermione waited and waited, but till the last owl for Neville came, no owl came down for her. Hermione sighed and picked her spoon up once more, but not eating her cereal in it. Harry knew she was anxious, he tried to be with her most of the time since Oliver left. Ron wanted to comfort her but felt worst when he thought who she was thinking for wasn't he, but he tried to be with her more than before too.

"Hello, Ron Harry Herm! Nice crispy morning!" it was Parvati. She pulled a seat beside Harry and opposite to Ron and sat down.

"Morning, Parvati," Ron and Harry replied. But Hermione was quiet; she didn't seem to hear her. Harry nudged Hermione with his elbow. Hermione seemed to wake up surprised, and said hello to Parvati.

"Ron? Let's play chess again, tonight! I can't believe we've tied after we've played 50 times! 25:25! We must go on!" Parvati said excitedly.

Ron grinned and said "Don't worry, after tonight, we wont tie anymore. Coz I'm gonna win you all!"

"You two played 50 times??? What time did you sleep? I saw you guys still playing when I went to sleep...that's 2am!!?Harry asked with surprise.

"4 am I guess...is that early or late?" Ron asked.

"Both," said Parvati.

They all laughed.

It was Transfiguration next. The four of them set off for Prof. McGonagall's classes.

Harry pulled Ron aside as Hermione and Parvati walked into the classroom.

"Hey, are you dating out with Parvati?" he asked suspiciously.

"Huh?? Nah we're just classmates and chess friends!" Ron replied, he was surprised Harry would ask that question.

"Okay maybe you think so...I don't know Parvati..."

"No Harry, no way... no way..." Ron reassured him.

"What is 'no way' Mr. Weasly? Isn't it time to go into the classroom?" a serious voice came from behind, the two ran into the classroom and sat beside Hermione and Parvati in great hurry.

"Today I've nothing to teach, but that doesn't mean you can play or anything. I want you to check your notes throughout this year and see if there is anything you do not understand. You may try your spells right here to see if you really know how to..."

Professor McGonagall continued as the students tried to change things into animals, or flipped through their notes and checked things.

Hermione was trying a difficult spell, changing a pair of scissors into a butterfly... Harry was checking if he missed any lessons day dreaming by tracing Hermione's notes. Ron did the same while Parvati wrote some missing notes. (Clearly, apart from Herm, everyone weren't listening much to Trans.)

Ron was roaming through Chopsticks and Candlesticks Transfiguration when a note flew onto his notes. He looked up; it had came from his left side. Feeling extremely confused, and a bit excited, he opened the note carefully. It wrote...

_"Dear Ron, Can we be more than chess friends?"_

It was so obvious who wrote the note. Ron turned to look at her, she was covering her head with her Transfiguration book as if on purpose and scribing notes at top speed.

Ron blushed, suddenly what Harry said before coming into the classroom popped into mind.

_"Are you dating out with Parvati?"  
_  
He blushed furiously. He never thought she really had a like in him.

Not knowing what to write back, he just wrote _"I don't know, maybe..." _and leaving dots of dripping ink onto the note, he blew it till it dried and threw it back to her, Parvati Patil.

Then he noticed he wrote an extremely dumb reply, but Parvati was reading already.

He blushed more as she read. He could clearly see that she was reading the same sentence over and over again. He tried to concentrate on his notes but that was impossible too.

Then she threw her note back... Ron picked up the note ,shaking,

_"I know you feel awkward and surprised that I'm saying this to you since we've never talked till yesterday night. I know you have feelings for Hermione and I wouldn't ask you to forget her right now or so. Just wanna tell you how I feel about you is more than friends since.."_

some ink had dripped here, her hand must have been shaking.

_"..A long time ago, and I'd like to be your lover. Please consider. I love you Ron._

Parvati Patil"  
  
Ron sat there staring at the note and read through the lines a hundred times back and forth. He sat there dumbfound in thoughts and didn't reply.

* * *

"Hey Hermione! How're you?" Angelina walked over and asked Hermione who've just finished Transfiguration.

"Uh...Oliver hasn't replied my letters for weeks...maybe I'm disturbing him...or maybe...I'm getting worried..." Hermione replied with her down.

"Maybe he's working hard, ya know...they're so busy now...even Ray doesn't reply mine's once in a while," Angelina comforted her.

The school bell rang through the hallway, "Oh, Sorry Herm, got to go, it's Potions next...Snape will get points from Gryffindor if I'm late! Cheer up! He'll reply soon," And Angelina ran off for Snape's class.

..."No lessons till 2 pm"...Hermione sadly walked to her common room in scanty footsteps, she couldn't help feeling sad...She walked into her room and sat down at her desk. She decided to write another letter again.

_Dear Oliver,_

How are your exams going? I've just had Transfigurations now and we had a last-time check-up before our term exams.

It's unbelievable that this year is going to end soon, I have a feeling like I've just came here to Hogwarts.

Two more months, then school will end after the last Quidditch match. By then, you'll be back! Wish to see you soon.

All my Love, Herm.  
  
Putting down her pen, she sighed. She missed him a lot and he doesn't reply. Maybe he IS so busy that he can't reply...

I wish I had a cell phone (an electricity appliance muggles use to contact each other) so I can call him and hear his voice at once but ...I haven't got one...neither does Oliver has one anyway...

Holding back her tears, she lied down on her bed and closed her eyes to take some rest...she felt tired...tired of thinking...and drift into her dreams...

Another month passed by, the time Oliver was coming back was getting close. Hermione was getting excited; another month, then she'll see her love again. She had sent another letter three weeks ago since Oliver didn't reply the last. But not any more since then, since she was afraid maybe he felt stressed by her letters and he couldn't reply.

A wonderful thing happened one morning in late May.

Hedwig, Harry's beautiful snow white Owl came into the Dining Hall earlier than all the other owls and dropped a parcel and two letters in front of Harry.

"What's THAT?" Ron asked, surprised, staring at the big parcel.

Hedwig's snow white feather had flown into his oatmeal bowl and spoilt it. Parvati got another bowl for him at once and Ron accepted it blushing.

Harry tore open the parcel, a box of biscuits (a really BIG box) and a letter from Mrs. Weasly,

"I am sending some biscuits to you, it's full of DHA, good for your brains, hope you do well in exams..." she wrote a lot more than that but If I'm gonna tell you all, I'll need three days typing .

"What the hell is DHA? And why mom's sending to you but not me?" Ron asked with confusion.

Just then, Errol flew over them and dropped the same kind of parcel in front of Ron. He opened his eyes wide, it surprised him very much.

"Yours here now Ron," Parvati giggled, "and DHA is..." She explained in detail and easily, so Ron would understand.

"That's a BIG box of biscuits," Hermione exclaimed, then looked up to search an owl that will send a letter to her. Once more, like any other morning, there wasn't. Hermione looked back down at her breakfast with a sigh. She was disappointed like any other morning and ate her oatmeal sadly.

"Why do I never get letters?" Hermione complained.

Everyone looked at her with curious eyes.

Hermione felt their star and looked up, "What are you guys staring at?"

No one replied but everyone turned to look at Harry this time, Hermione also stared at him with confusion and curiosity.

And the reason surprised her a lot.

**A LETTER FROM OLIVER**

It was sent to Harry by Hedwig, and it was written, "Hermione Granger" on the middle of the envelope.

Hermione ripped it open at once and read...

_Dear Herm,_

Long times no see! Sorry for not replying you for so long. I got all your letters but I had no time to reply since exams were so tensed at the moment. I'll be finishing soon, in 12 days, I'm a free man! And I can't wait till the next Quidditch match starts! See you soon.

Love, Oliver Wood

Hermione was overwhelmed. 12 days...she can't wait any longer.


	6. Changes

VI Changes

"The best season for Quidditch! Gryffindor VS Ravenclaw! Last match of the year---and the most exciting one! Are you ready guys?" Jordan shouted through the microphone almost loud enough to hurt people's ears.

"Well here goes! Here comes the Gryffindor team! Flying out is the long time no see keeper of the team! Captain Oliver Wood! Nice burly Fifth year Quidditch crazy man! And the next is Angelina Johnson --- Alicia Spinnet --- Katie Bell--- the only three ladies and Chasers of the team! Then here comes out Beaters--- George and Fred Weasly, both flying out in the same time. Twins, sure they are---" Jordan continued.

("Why the hell does he call your name before mine always?!" Fred shouted to George.)

("Hell knows, maybe G comes before F!" George blasted back.)

"And here comes our star of the day! Harry Potter ï¹˜ seeker of Gryffindor!!!" Jordan shouted and the whole crowd (almost) cheered and clapped with all their might. Banners like "Potter is the Lion of the Lions!!" "Then here comes the Captain of Ravenclaw from the blue exit! Collin Jones, Chaser of the ravens! ----" Jordan went on.

In a box with red and golden silk covered over it, Hermione and Ron and Parvati were watching the match just starting. With the blast of a whistle, the teams flew high up into the air.

"I'm soooo excited! If we win this, we'll get the CUP!! Whoa!" Ron said with sparkling eyes.

"I really wanna see the cup in our hands! Wouldn't it be wonderful that our house can win when we came here for the first year?" Parvati added excitedly.

Hermione didn't speak, she wasn't able to. She was too happy to express anything in words.

The past few weeks were the happiest of times for months. Since Oliver had came back, her whole life seemed to brighten up once more, and this was one of the times she loved to see him most, flying in air dodging Bludgers and protecting his goal, saving his team and playing seriously.

She loved every way he played Quidditch, and strongly wished his dreams would come true --- becoming a professional Quidditch player. "You should have seen it Hagrid! Harry was bloody brilliant!" Ron told Hagrid with total excitement.

Actually he was talking to everyone else in Hagrid's hut, that's Harry, Hermione and Parvati. They've came here to celebrate their House's success.

"Congratulations ter yeh Harry, yeh've won the Cup!!" Hagrid praised merrily as he passed out fudge cake, (which no one touch at all). He whistled a tune as he poured herb tea, (which everyone supped gratefully).

"Thank you Hagrid, but I wouldn't have made it if Oliver wasn't there," Harry said with modesty.

"It's Jasmine, right Hagrid?" Hermione asked as she smelt her cup of hot tea.

"Righ', Jasmine from China. Nice smell, ain't it?" Hagrid said with pride.

"Hmm...nice...You're right Harry, if Oliver wasn't there, you might be in the Hospital Wing by now," Hermione giggled.

"I knew you would say that," Ron said with a grunt.

"But it's quite true you know, Harry might have hit his head and dropped off the broom!" Parvati added to Hermione's comment."

"Hit his head !? What hit his head?" Hagrid asked with concern.

"Let me explain," Parvati suggested, "the first thing I should say is that the Bludgers were really active today."

"Yep, and it all happened when Katie Bell was hit by the Bludger," Hermione continued.

"Bell? She 'as hit?! How's she now??" Hagrid asked quickly, almost choking on his piece of cake.

"Oh, she's okay. She fainted right after she goaled, but woke up the moment she heard Gryffindor had won the Cup. She was so awake that you wouldn't believe she was really hit!" Ron comforted Hagrid, "she's in the hospital wing though, you never know how much you're really hurt, you know."

"Shall I continue?" Parvati asked, "Well, then just right after Katie fell to the grass grounds, which was a slow fall since Madam Hooch casted a spell on her so she would fall slowly, Harry saw the snitch...I think Harry should continue."

Harry looked at her, and clearing his throat, he started illustrating how it happened, "I saw the snitch glittering over the Gryffindor goal posts, to be specific, right over our keeper, Oliver's head."

Then he continued, "I was quite far from it, rather near to the Ravenclaw's posts, so I had to be fast. The other Seeker, the Ravenclaw one, thought I was bluffing again since I've bluffed only five minutes ago. That was lucky I did...Erm... Then you continue, Hermione, I'm not sure what happened, but I know you've seen it all."

Hermione smiled with blushing cheeks and explained how Harry got to get the snitch without being hurt, "Harry was going for it, the snitch was only ten meters away. But then a speeding black thing was shooting towards him, it was definitely a Bludger. Harry didn't notice this since his whole body was concentrating on the golden snitch. Oliver noticed that Harry wasn't bluffing, he could feel that the snitch was near him and what more, He could see the crazy Bludger flying towards Harry."

Hagrid was sitting on the edge of his sofa; he absolutely wanted more of the story.

"Oliver didn't hesitate, he flew away from his post and shot at top speed towards Harry, Harry didn't stop too, they were flying towards each other when Oliver suddenly came to a halt and turned his broom with all his might, Harry flying under him with only an inch of distance between them--- and WHAM! Oliver hit the Bludger hard with the end of his broomstick, saving Harry at the right moment. And Harry got the snitch!! Gryffindors won 190-40! Gees it was fabulous!" Hermione said dreamily, probably thinking how wonderful Oliver was.

"Yeh...Bloody Brilliant," Ron chorused.

Hagrid punched Harry's shoulder friendlily (which hurt) and said, "Yeh'll do well in the team, Harry. Sure yeh are yer father's son!"

Harry smiled. He had found where he should be, the team, his friends, his house... Hogwarts was the home for him.

"The sun's setting fellows, yeh got to go back ter the school building, yer have party, yer know," Hagrid sent them out of his hut, waving them goodbye. They all waved back and walked under the sun-setting sky.

"Whoa Harry, got to be back at the common room quick, I'm starving," Ron smacked his lips at the thought of food and party.

* * *

Everyone laughed as they walked through the Great Hall. When they got back to the common room, the first thing Hermione saw was a mob of girls surrounding a guy. Definitely, it was Oliver. "Wow, when did he get that popular?" Ron said with surprise.

Parvati hissed him to stop. Ron looked at Hermione and covered his mouth, wanting to apologize.

"It's alright," Hermione said bluntly and went off to get some food. Inside, she was mumbling with complaints. "But being popular isn't something you can control..." she thought so to comfort herself.

"Hey, don't sweat Hermione," Harry walked to her and scooped some Chocolate pudding, "I'm always surrounded that way after matches but I don't fall for any of them. Not saying that I'm being proud or anything... Just don't want you to feel worried. You know...after all, you've worried for months."

Hermione smiled, "Thanks Harry, you always find the right words to make me feel better."

Happy to see Hermione smiling once more, he smiled and laughed, "That's what friends are for, silly girl... Let's go to find Ron and Parvati before someone catches me and disturb us celebrating!" Harry gave the laughing Hermione a tug and the both of them went to where Ron and Parvati were chatting and ate together merrily.

Hermione and her friends had a wonderful party night, except that she didn't have a chance to talk to Oliver, everything was perfect.

* * *

"Hey! Where's Hermione?" Ron asked as he packed up his books to leave the next morningat breakfast.

"Erm...With Oliver?" Harry replied as he looked around for Hermione or Oliver.

He spotted Oliver sitting near the other end of the Gryffindor table, a huge group of girls, probably Connie Lenten and her friends, were crowded around him.

Ron noticed Harry's frowning look, and looked towards Harry's hateful gaze. Then he understood what Harry was mad about, he groaned and walked off,

"I'm going first Harry, see ya! And don't mind him; I'm glad Hermione isn't here."

Harry nodded and ate his breakfast quietly. If Hermione was here seeing that horrible scene, he would have went over and gave Oliver a good shake. Although he was quite sure Connie would run for another target soon enough when she sees a better guy with better fame, he still hoped that this would truly be a temporary situation, coz Hermione would be really sad if she sees this Meanwhile, Hermione was reading in the library. She was finding information about Egypt, the place where it was told where magic had begun. She was so into her books, while was a whole pile of them, that she didn't see Ron and Parvati coming in.

"What is it you want to say Parvati?" Ron asked as the both walked into the passage where books beginning with F were put. That is, right beside the column where Hermione was, the E column.

"I...just wanted to ask you how you feel about me now, it's more than a month since I've confessed...I wanna know if your feelings had turned towards me, ..The better way I mean," Parvati explained with a slight blush.

Ron didn't speak.

These days, since the day Parvati had told him her love towards him, he had wondered what attitude he should have towards her. But Parvati gave him the answer. She didn't run off blushing and not talking to him, or glance at him shyly and stutter when he spoke to her. Instead she talked to him normally and acted normally to him too. Ron didn't know her till they played chess together for the first time. He started to understand she was a bright, friendly and absolutely a nice girl.

She was a total Quidditch lunatic like him, and he always felt familiarity to her when it came to chess playing. And since he started to get to know her, he couldn't help noticing her nice eye color, a beautiful navy blue which sparkled a bit of grey in it under sunlight, her long brunette curly hair which was always tied up in variety of ponytails... "Ron?" Parvati asked as she peeked into his face, and she herself had a tense look on her face.

"Huh?! Oh! Sorry...I was daydreaming, wasn't I?" Ron rubbed his head and blushed.

"..Oh, alright. you don't want to reply again, do you? Don't worry, I'll make you say yes sooner of later," Parvati said confidently as she winked at him.

Ron blinked.

"Ron? Parvati!? Since when were you two here?? Do you know Herbology is going to start now???" Hermione had seen the two of them when she decided to leave the library for Herbology lessons. She had turned back to tell them the time.

"Oh! Hermione! Thanks for telling us that, almost missed Herbs...my favorite lesson!" Parvati tugged Hermione away, turning back and giving Ron another wink.

"What were you doing in the library, Herm?" Parvati asked as they walked to the greenhouse.

"Finding things about Egypt, I think mom and dad are going to take me there this summer! Then I can do lots of research about the beginning of magic!!" Hermione replied with sparkling eyes.

"Oh I see..." Parvati sighed with relief.

"What does that sigh mean Parvati?" Hermione asked with surprise.

"OH, nothing," Parvati waved her arms and shook her head.

"By the way, what were YOU two doing in the library?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Erm...find things about chess?" Parvati said uncertainly as she stepped into the greenhouse. Hermione stepped in next, Ron the last.

"I see..." Hermione nodded, but inside her mind, she had a question.

If they were finding things about chess...why weren't they checking the C column, but the F column??

But Parvati and Ron didn't seem to want to be asked, so she kept quiet. Although she understood that something was happening between them...

"Ouch! Ouch!!!!! Arghhh! I hate Herbology!? Ron shouted as he waved his bleeding hands.

"You could not blame your Cat's Claw, Mr. Weasly," Prof. Sprout scolded as she helped a Hufflepuff to water his Cat's Claw, If you hate Herbology, I suggest you to leave now."

Ron almost said, "I'd like to," but shut up at once when Parvati came to see him.

"Forgot your Dragon Hides?" Parvati asked as she took off her gloves.

Dragon Hide is a material to make gloves for witches and wizards, people at Hogwarts mostly just call gloves, Dragon Hides."

"Ye...yeah...shouldn't have," Ron stuttered for the first time in his life, blushing wildly.

"Didn't you know we're gonna deal with Cat's Claws today?" Parvati asked as she crouched down to look at Ron's wounds, they weren't deep.

Cat's Claws are plants with grey-white leaves that are shapes of claws and AS SHARP AS claws. They're called Cat's Claws because it purrs when it's glad, and its fur on the stem straightens up when it's mad, which Ron's Cat's Claw was then.

"I did, but I didn't know they are worse than kalestina," Ron sighed.

"You should be careful from now on...It's not that bad, here," Parvati took out a tin of ointment and twisted the cap of it, the jelly-like cream inside was a beautiful emerald color, it smelt of fresh mint.

Parvati scooped a tab with her fore finger and rubbed it over the scratches Ron's Cat's Claw made. Ron felt a sharp pain in the beginning, then his arm started to feel cold, then it got ice cold and his wound was starting to feel numb.

Ron bit his lips as Parvati rubbed more jelly cream onto his wounds. He looked at Parvati who was rubbing her hand on his arm gently, he smelt the faint smell of shampoo flowing from her hair, it was a crispy smell of green apples. The smell ran through his whole body, and he felt so silent, so peaceful He didn't stop gazing at Parvati. And a soft melody flew from the music chamber high above in the school building. Someone was singing the song, and Ron couldn't help noticing the words of the song...

_It's the way she fills my senses_

It's the perfume that she wears

I feel I'm losing my defenses

To the color of her hair

And every little piece of her is right

Just thinking about her

Takes me through the night

Every time we meet

The picture is complete

Every time we touch

The feeling is too much

She's all I ever need

To fall in love again

I knew it from the very start

She's the puzzle of my heart

It's the way she's always smiling

That makes me think she never cries

(She never cries)

I feel I'm losing my defenses

(Yeah)

To the color of her eyes

And every little piece of her is right

Every time we meet

The picture is complete

Every time we touch

The feeling is too much

She's all I ever need

To fall in love again

I knew it from the very start

She's the puzzle of my heart

Like a miracle she's meant to be

She became the light inside of me

And I can feel her like a memory

From long ago

Every time we meet

The picture is complete

Every time we touch

The feeling is too much

(Is too much)

Every time we meet

The picture is complete

Every time we touch

The feeling is too much

She's all I ever need

To fall in love again

I knew it from the very start  
  
_She's the puzzle of my heart_

Slowly, the pain faded away. When all the pain was gone, what was left on Ron's arms and hands were purple marks of seem-to-be old time wounds.

Ron came back to his sense when Parvati asked; "How in the world did your Cat's Claw get that mad?" She turned her gaze at the crazy plant, it was swinging and swaying fiercely and roaring out loud.

Ron thought with a shiver, "It's no cat anymore; it's a wild lion on the loose!"

"I don't know...the moment I touched it, it started barking at me like a dog, when it should be a cat..." Ron shook his head as he rubbed his once hurt arms.

"It's a plant! You must have forgotten Cat's Claws do not like people to touch them with bare hands, you had to at lease use clothes to wrap your hands before touching it!" Parvati laughed as she pat her Cat's Claw, which she tamed a few minutes ago.

"Parvati! Your gloves!!!? Ron shouted with terror. But it was too late.

* * *

"How is she, Madam Pomfrey!?" Ron asked with anxiety.

"Could you just shut up and stand still??? She needs rest!" Madam Pomfrey squealed as she puffed a pillow for Parvati.

"I'm okay Ron...guys," Parvati replied with an obviously forced smile to Ron, Hermione and Harry. She gently rubbed her wounded left hand, which was wrapped with lots of bandages now.

As we all know, Parvati had touched her Cat's Claw with ungloved-hands. The tamed plant got so furious immediately that Parvati didn't have time to spring her hand from the plant. It pricked the center of her left palm and got stuck in her bones. It bled so hard that Ron thought she was going to die of excessive bleeding. Parvati fainted; Ron picked her up without thinking and ran for the Hospital Wing. Luckily, she was saved.

Now, she is lying on the patients' bed in the Hospital Wing. She told Pomfrey that she was okay but she wouldn't listen. Pomfrey still needed to check her situation carefully before letting her leave.

"Now go out go out, this is no place for you children! Come here if you're sick or wounded, healthy people are not welcomed here!" Madam Pomfrey shooed the friends away as she pulled up a blanket for Parvati.

"Oh pleeeeease Madam Pomfrey! We can't leave her alone!" Ron pleaded with both hands.

"Yes you can Mr. Weasly, now get off before I send you out with my broom!" Madam Pomfrey pushed the three children to the door, opening it and throwing them out. The three of them stood in front of the closed door, staring at the worn out nameplate, "Hospital Wing", which hung on the ground glass of the door.

"Why doesn't she let people stay? Doesn't she know that patients usually get lonely in there?" Hermione shook her head and sighed.

"Yeah... gees, I think we better hurry for our next lessons...it's almost 11 o'clock now," Harry pushed his spectacles up his nose and started leaving quickly.

"You're right," Hermione said, "Duh...what a pity..." and she turned to leave, too.

Ron looked at the door once again; he saw the two of his friends turning the corner. Quietly, he turned the doorknob in front of him...the door didn't creak, and he sneaked in...

He crept to where Parvati was and peeked through the white curtains.

Parvati was sitting there and humming a tune, the tune Ron heard when Parvati was rubbing healing cream on his hands in Herbology.

He silently slipped through the curtains and wondered how to tell her he was there. If he suddenly talked, she might scream...

"Who's there?" Parvati whispered and turned her face towards him. She gasped.

"How did you get in here?" She asked with a whisper.

"Sneaked in, got to leave soon. Just wanna make sure you're really okay..." Ron said in a whisper.

"... silly me...I just laughed you forgot your gloves...THEN I forgot them myself..." Parvati laughed.

"Are you okay?"

"To be honest, no. It's painful, but it's my fault anyway," Parvati said seriously.

"Sorry..."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"If I shouted a bit earlier, maybe you wouldn't have got hurt..."

Parvati sighed, and said, "It's my fault, and only mine. Don't worry, I'm okay," Parvati smiled.

Ron bit his lower lip and stared at her. A slight wind blew through the open window, blowing her curly brunette hair softly, letting the smell of green apples flowing in the air. He smiled and quietly, gently, whistled the tune they both knew... (I dunno if you can actually whistle that...but Okays ha-ha)

_It's the way she fills my senses_

it's the perfume that she wears

I feel I'm losing my defenses

to the color of her hair

And every little piece of her is right

just thinking about her

takes me through the night

Every time we meet

The picture is complete

Every time we touch

The feeling is too much

She's all I ever need

To fall in love again

I knew it from the very start

She's the puzzle of my heart

She's the ...puzzle...of...my heart...

Ron slipped out ten minutes later, unfound by Madam Pomfrey, and ran for his History classes. "Been to see her?" Hermione asked in a whisper as Ron slipped to a seat beside her.

Ron panted hard and replied in a whisper, "How did you know?"

Ron had slipped in thirty minutes late. The Professor was a ghost; he was teaching Magical History in the most boring way, reading the passages in the book. No one was listening so even if Ron opened the door and slipped in as quiet as a mouse, not even his classmates noticed.

"Where else would you be?" Hermione giggled, and started writing her notes. In history lessons, even Hermione was sure she wouldn't learn anything from this Professor. She had decided to self-study since the first lesson she got from this Professor. She thought he was hopeless.

"Haha,...what do you think about Parvati?" Ron asked casually.

Hermione stared at him for a moment and smiled, "Charming, nice, friendly and brave, a great friend for me."

"Charming, nice, friendly and brave," that's what he thought so too...

Ron drift into his thoughts, when he woke up from his dreams, the school bell was ringing, indicating this boring lesson had finished.

* * *

"Arghhh...it was boring! Where have you been Ron?" Harry yawned and stretched his arms as he asked.

"The Hospital Wing," Ron replied bluntly, his cheeks getting pink.

"Oh, so Ron Weasly's having a date out now!" Harry laughed.

"Oh shut up," Ron blushed red.

"Didn't you say you weren't dating with Miss Patil?" Harry mocked in the way Fred and George would.

"Tell him to stop, Hermione! Hermione...?" Ron looked around him, and then he saw Hermione stopping still in the middle of the corridor.

Harry stopped playing; he looked at Ron, then Hermione, and then...looked at where she was staring.

As he had expected, Oliver was there. But not only him, also as Harry had guessed, there were those same girls Harry and Ron had seen that morning at the Dining table, Connie and her gang. Besides Oliver, there was another boy who looked like another fifth year, with long auburn hair and gray-blue eyes. They were chatting happily with the girls. Connie was touching Oliver's arm (on purpose) as she talked to him.

Harry turned away from the horrible scene and looked at Hermione. She was staring blankly, and then she suddenly blinked her eyes rapidly and started walking again, as if she had never seen the scene, as if nothing's happened.

"Hermione?" Harry asked as he followed her, Ron didn't say a word. And Hermione didn't reply...

* * *

Exams came like a typhoon to the students. Everyone studied hard for his or her exams. When they had finished their last subject in changing candles to chopsticks, everyone shouted of glee and ran for their summer vacation.

One week later, they got their reports. Hermione got 120 marks in her exams, Harry 85 while Ron got 79. Parvati was surprisingly 95 marks.

"Didn't know you were that smart Parvati," Ron widens his eyes as he looked into Parvati's report.

"What do you mean by that!?!?" Parvati frowned, half seriously.

"Joking," Ron grinned as he pulled her hand.

"When did you guys start holding hands?" Harry sneered.

"I thought Ron hated to see couples holding hands, he says...'YUK!' before...didn't he?" Hermione giggled.

"Now where did you hear that?" Ron asked with puzzlement.

"I told her," Harry tried not to laugh.

"You again!" Ron threw his report into the air.

"Yeh, me again, happy couple!" Harry teased Ron and Parvati.

Ron and Parvati blushed, Harry and Hermione burst out laughing, and then they all laughed.

Their laughter spread through the corridor, the sunlight sprayed onto them, the humidity was high, the fresh east wind from the sea blew pass them; they could hear the calling of cicadas on the pine trees in the Forbidden Forest as they laughed and chatted about their summer. Summer vacation was near; they're going to miss Hogwarts, lots and lots. They ate their last dinner at Hogwarts for their first year. Professor Dumbledore announced Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup for this year; Slytherin was next, then Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw. AND Gryffindor won the House Cup too!. The whole school except the Slytherin was cheering for the ending to the long time winning of Slytherin.

Everyone enjoyed his or her last night here. The next time they'll be eating like this would be September. Hermione was missing the school already. How would she miss everyone here? Harry, Ron, Parvati...the teachers... Oliver...

Hermione would be leaving for a trip to a foreign country this summer. She doesn't know where yet, but she was sure she couldn't meet all her friends, and Oliver till the day she's gonna buy her things at Diagon Alley, which was a long time away from now.

Hermione turned to where Oliver was sitting. In these formal gatherings, everyone sit according to the Year their in. So she couldn't sit with him. She was starting to feel a bit insecure; the seven years were sitting opposite to the fourths, Connie and her gang was opposite Oliver and the other boy with auburn hair, which Hermione learnt his name was Davis Landon, a twin to the chaser and captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, Joseph Landon.

It wasn't a comfortable sight to see your boyfriend chatting happily with other girls, although you couldn't stop him, and you couldn't even do the same thing just because you're sitting too far away.

Last day, last night, tomorrow, everyone's going to get on the Hogwarts Express and leave.

* * *

"See you guys..." Harry hugged Hermione, Ron and Parvati as he bid them all goodbye.

They were at the King Cross's Station.

"See you Harry..." Hermione said, "Hope your uncle treats you good, gees I'm gonna miss you," she sniffed.

"They won't, and yeah... me too...miss you all," Harry gulped at the thought of going back to his muggle home, where his grumpy Uncle Vernon and his nosey Aunt and cousin Dudley lived.

Harry grasped his trunk tight and pulling his cart with his owl, Hedwig on it, he walked into the crowds, to where Uncle Vernon was waiting, on the other side of the crowd.

After Harry left, Ron asked Hermione, "Where are your parents?"

"Oh, They are coming a bit late, so I told them I'll drink tea at a coffee shop before meeting them, and you guys?" he asked

Hermione looked around for other red heads apart from Ron, and then she saw a family all with brunette hair walking towards them. She knew who they were.

"Parvati! Found you at last!" a tall handsome boy with freckles on his nose hugged Parvati hard.

Ron winched and held his cart's handle tight, he hissed to Hermione, "Who's that?!"

"Her brother, Philip," Hermione laughed with her nose when she see him being jealous to Parvati's brother.

"You must be Hermione, I saw you in a photograph Parvati sent me," Mrs. Patil greeted her with a smile. Her whole family, including Mr. Patil, Philip, Paul and Padma, and she greeted her in turn.

"Nice to meet you," Hermione greeted them all.

"And...you are?" Mrs. Patil asked Ron gently.

"Ronald Weasly, Ron is okay, nice to meet you," he gave Mrs. Patil a hand shake.

"Ron, nice to meet you," Mrs. Patil greeted him and turned to Parvati, "you have nice friends, my dear... Oh heavens! I have to go back to work now, so does your father," She turned to Ron and Herm. "I am sorry my dears, I would have wanted you to come and have tea with us, but we wouldn't have spare time till next week, I'm sorry."

"its okay, maybe sometime, summer is long," Ron grinned.

Mrs. Patil smiled, she liked Ron very much.

Parvati bid them goodbye with hugs (secretly giving Ron a cheek kiss) and followed her family into the crowds.

"I think I have to leave too...I can see my mom coming," Ron said.

"Okay, see you Ron..." Hermione gave him a hug and watched him leave too After Ron left, without noticing it, she searched around for...Oliver, but he was gone already. She sighed as she pulled her cart and walked into a coffee shop, Star Bucks.

Sitting near the window sill, drinking a cup of espresso, watching the crowds going to and fro, Hermione recalled her memories on the Hogwarts Express trip just now...

She had talked to Oliver for a while on the train. He was like his old self, nice and cute, funny and had the same mysterious atmosphere surrounding him. They talked about his O.W.L.s Exam study life, what happened to Ron and Parvati, Hermione's exams, what they'll do for summer...They would have talked for the whole trip but Ray and Davis Landon walked in to ask him something (which Hermione didn't hear) so he left urgently. It was only fifteen minutes of conversation, but Hermione felt content since they haven't talked for days.

An hour later, Mr. George Granger and Mrs. Irine Granger came. They all went home. Three days later, they'll be leaving for a trip to Rome.

* * *

Rome was a wonderful place. Hermione had learnt more about muggle history and got basic knowledge how Europe had been in the past. She was glad she went there. After going to Rome they went all around France and stayed for a long time in Paris.

Hermione bought a lot of books and she was really satisfied with the journey. She sent Harry a birthday present along with a letter to ask him about his holidays and also a letter to Ron Parvati and Oliver. She had missed them all through the trip and was glad she was home now. The whole trip lasted for one month and two weeks and today it's the 18th of August already.

"Mommy! I'd be going to Diagon Alley with daddy today, would you come with us?" Hermione shouted from the top of the stairs while fixing a red black gem brooch on her white blouse which had slightly puffed sleeves.

"You got your letter from Hogwarts?" Mrs. Granger asked as she saw her daughter running down the stairs happily.

"Yup! I'm overwhelmed," Hermione said hilariously and grinned broadly, she had been waiting this letter for ages.

"It seems like yesterday you got your first letter from Hogwarts" Mrs. Granger looked up into the sky from the kitchen window. A white cloud was floating by. "Heehaw...and mommy fainted, didn't you?" Hermione teased her mother and asked again, "So, are you coming?"

"Oh...Sorry dear, I have to meet Mrs. Jones today" Irine Granger said sadly as she watched her daughter's expressions changed.

Hermione puffed her cheeks and frowned like a baby on purpose. Mrs. Granger laughed at her silly face. She could see her daughter wasn't really angry.

So I'm going with dad Hermione though as she ironed her long flowered skirt in the kitchen while her mother made breakfast for them, sausages and fried egg.

Hermione pulled her skirt up just in time as Mr. Granger walked in. He was in his blue and green checked pajamas, with his hair shot up in all directions, in his hands was the newspaper for this morning, and it was an awful sight to see.

"Dad, you should at lease comb your hair, you know," Hermione complaint.

"Who cares about appearance in the house in the early morning when there is no work?" Mr. Granger replied bluntly with a grunt, his eyes still on the newspaper.

Hermione groaned and asked, "Since its Wednesday, Daddy can you go to Diagon Alley with me?" hoping for a good answer.

Mr. Granger opened his eyes wide and thought for a moment, and then he asked, "Going to London, Herm?"

"Yes daddy, can you?" Hermione said, please say yes! Please!

"...Okay, but I have a meeting with Roswell this afternoon so I couldn't be with you...would there be a problem?" he asked, "Will the luggage be too heavy for you?"

Hermione nodded, the books and things will be REALLY heavy. She couldn't take them home by herself from London to here where she lives. So what are they going to do? George must go to the meeting and he wouldn't have time until the next Wednesday which would be too late and Hermione still need to buy her books...

"Are there any lodging in Diagon Alley?" George Granger asked finally as he sighed a long sigh.

And so there was, The Leaky Cauldron.

* * *

So all was set, Hermione bid her mother goodbye and set for Diagon Alley with her dad. She brought her school things with her. When they got to London, George booked a nice cozy room for Hermione at The Leaky Cauldron.

"Hmm...Room 528 at the 5th floor, that's nearest to the ground floor we can get," Tom the master of the Leaky Cauldron jangled a bunch of keys and took the one with the figure "528" carved on it from the ring of keys and handed it to Hermione.

"If you have any problem, or need help carrying things to your room, our boys will help you Miss Granger," he pointed to 5 young men in neat uniforms who were working hard helping their customers to carry their luggage up the stairs.

Hermione nodded and thanked Tom.

"Thank you, sir. And I heard you serve supper for lodgers here, don't you?" George asked.

"Yes we do, do not worry, your daughter...Miss Granger will have a nice time here," Tom smiled at Hermione.

Thanking Tom, they both stepped out of the Leaky Cauldron through the back and went into Diagon Alley to shop books. George went with Hermione so he could carry them back to the Leaky Cauldron for her. It was 3p.m. when her father left her. She was alone exploring the Diagon Alley which she hadn't have time to look around last year when she was still a new comer to the magic world. This year, she can look around with pleasure.

She went into each shop and walked around observing this and that. She saw some Hogwarts student that she didn't know well, but they smiled at each other when their eyes met.

Hermione searched for Harry and the others. She wondered if Oliver would buy things in Diagon Alley. After all, he might get all his things in Libran Alley where muggle-born witches and wizards like Hermione aren't welcomed mostly in the shops.

Hermione bought some ingredients needed for Potions and changed more muggle money to magical ones at the Grinngott's Bank to buy something extra things which she might need. It was 6pm when she finished most of her shopping and she set back for The Leaky Cauldron for supper.

"Hermione?" a voice came from behind as she stepped into the dining room of the Leaky Cauldron.

"Parvati!" Hermione gasped, "Why are you here?"

"My twin sister Padma got involved in a car accident, a car speeded towards her and she hadn't had...have time to get out of the way," she sniffed, her eyes were bloodshot, she must have been crying for a while. "Dad and mom are with her at the Hospital now. I'm here with Philip."

"Oh...I'm very sorry.. How is Padma now?" Hermione asked with concern as they sat down at a table.

"She broke a few bones...she need time to recover in the Hospital, so she'll come to school later than us," Parvati sniffed again.

Hermione's dinner came, Parvati told the waiter she didn't want to eat.

"I see...I'm really sorry Parvati, I hope she'll get well soon...by the way, does Ron know this?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, I owled him, he said he'll be coming tomorrow," Parvati seem to feel better at the thought of meeting Ron.

"Did you meet Oliver?" Parvati asked suddenly.

"Nope, Haven't seen anyone but you for a while, you know, I've been to Rome and Paris," Hermione uttered. It was a disappointed voice.

"Rome!? Paris! Tell me about it!" Parvati exclaimed in interest. They talked for a long time about their summer. It was a long chat that Philip, Parvati's brother, got worried and he came down to find Parvati. It was 9pm when he came down and Hermione was too into the chat that she forgot to eat.

"Oh dear, your dinner is ice cold Hermione, I'm sorry," Parvati apologized.

"Oh, it's okay, I'm not very hungry anyway," Hermione laughed.

"So where are you going tomorrow?" Parvati asked her.

"Don't know really...I have a few things I still need to buy..." Hermione replied.

"Can't wait till summer ends, can you?" Parvati grinned slyly.

Hermione understood her. "Can't wait," she replied with a grin.

Parvati got a headache after that, (she must have cried too much.) Philip brought her back to their room while Hermione ate her dinner. (Tom told his waiters to give a warm dinner to Hermione since he saw she wasn't eating)

Then she went to her room, took a nice shower and went to bed. She slept soundly that night, dreaming a nice dream...

_Hermione was standing under an arch and looking up into the darken sky, drops of rain fell, within five minutes, the whole Alley was doomed with heavy rain._

The world seemed blurred, Hermione looked out into the black and white world in front of her, how was she going to get back to the Leaky Cauldron in this rain? Then she saw a tall figure standing there, suddenly there in front of her, in the heavy rain, with an umbrella in his hand.

He opened it and let Hermione in, he escorted her to the Leaky Cauldron. A long walk it was, but Hermione couldn't see his face no matter what. And when they got there, he suddenly disappeared.

And Hermione woke up.

* * *

"Good morning Hermione," Philip greeted Hermione at the dining table in The Leaky Cauldron.

"Morning Philip," Hermione replied.

Hermione looked behind Philip as she ate her cereals. Philip understood and said, "Parvati is sleeping upstairs, she's too tired."

"I see...well, I'm going out now, tell her I went out shopping when she woke up, won't you?" Hermione left this message and went out of the Leaky Cauldron to buy some polish for her broom, which was a Speeding Star 020. Her father had bought it for her the day before.

"This sucks," Hermione groaned as she felt the humid air around her the moment she got outside, and it was HOT. She didn't like this kind of summer much.

She walked to the other side of the street and went into Flourish and Blotts to buy some sweets before she go to the sports shop, JIMPS AND JONAS SPORTS SHOP.

She bought a few Chocolate Frogs for Parvati to cheer her up, and a bag of Every Flavor Beans to chew on as she went shopping.

The Sports Shop was crowded with people, mostly boys. Hermione squeezed towards the polish and brushes shelf. She found the just right shiny wax for her new broom almost at once and once again squeezed towards the cashier.

"Cling!" The little bell rang as Hermione pushed open the glass door of the sports shop, to her surprise, it was raining.

OMG, I haven't got an umbrella! She was thinking so when someone came from behind.

He asked her, "Have you got your umbrella?"

Hermione turned around in a flash, she knew who it was and guessed right who it was. It was Oliver.

"Hi Herm, I saw you at the cashier but you bought your things faster than me, I didn't get to catch up with you" Oliver said with a grin.

"Hi Oliver..." Hermione couldn't find words. She had wanted to see him for a long time, and now he's beside her, actually standing beside her.

Oliver smiled and asked again, "So...have you got your umbrella?"

"Oh! No... No. I was having problems with that just now," Hermione frowned and looked up into the darken sky, "Have you got an umbrella?"

"Not me, that's why I asked in the first place," Oliver replied.

Rain drops were falling down, streaks of rain dripped down the arches of the Shop. Not very long, the whole Alley was raining heavily.

"Oh dear..." Hermione sighed.

"Where are you going?" Oliver asked.

"Um?... The Leaky Cauldron...it's so far away..." Hermione frowned again, looking into the sky, I guess we'll just have to wait here..." She turned to look at Oliver.

He had disappeared.

"Oliver?" she looked around and looked for him, he was nowhere to be seen. She felt so lonely suddenly.

Why didn't I pay attention on him? Maybe he found someone he knows who has and umbrella and left... maybe...

She decided not to think anymore, and stared into the sky. Uncontrollably, she dropped one sparkling tear down...

The rain was getting worse; the sky was darker than the pitch black night. The lamplights along the street flicked on one after another, towards the street where Hermione was.

A few times, the raindrops flicked onto Hermione's face. But she didn't notice it, her eyes were looking far away, blankly, at the distant sky high up above... The raindrops fell and made tingling sounds, everything else was quiet...listening to the splashing of the water... splashes of a speeding thing in the rain...

Then, Hermione saw a figure running towards the sports shop, it was a person with an umbrella, running in the rain.

How lucky is he/she, wonder where he/she is going Hermione thought.

But when the lights of the shops and the lamps of the street shown on the person's face, Hermione widen her eyes and gasped. "Why... Why...? Where have you been?!" Hermione stuttered with surprise.

Oliver had come back from nowhere, with an umbrella, a partly broken umbrella with him.

"Where did you get this!?" Hermione exclaimed as Oliver pulled her into the umbrella.

I ran to the Jimmy Jamey's Antique Shop on the other side of the street...I remembered Old Jim...the owner, had old unwanted umbrellas for sale... Not very costly actually, since they're all broken ones, Oliver grinned, his hair tips dripping with water.

"Oh my...you're all wet, you silly!" Hermione wiped his face with her handkerchief.

"Its okay, no problem lady!" Oliver laughed, "Ya know it's ticklish?"

Hermione smiled, and wiped his face more.

They walked slowly, slowly in the rain. They both listened to the falling of the rain, it sounded like a soft melody to Hermione now. Not the sad and lonely one when she was standing in front of the shop, alone. The insecure feeling she had for the past few months faded away, she was so overwhelmed with happiness that she smiled secretly.

"Hey...you're getting wet..." Oliver whispered softly as he pulled her close by putting his arm over her shoulder.

Hermione blushed furiously and looked down, hiding this.

"What are you smiling at?" Oliver asked curiously.

"Nothing...nothing..." Hermione replied with panic.

"Really?" Oliver asked as he stopped walking, The Leaky Cauldron was only a few feet away.

Hermione looked up at him, smiling, "nothing Oliver."

At the back door of The Leaky Cauldron, Oliver leaned down and kissed Hermione's forehead, "Go get a shower and dry you up before catching a cold."

"You're like my dad, Oliver," Hermione giggled, blushing with the forehead- kiss. She wasn't used to all his kindness after a long time not being as close to him as today.

"I'm not that old am I?" Oliver said in a grumpy grandpa voice.

Hermione laughed and they both bid each other goodbye. Hermione stood there for a while, watching Oliver leave. He turned back once, and smiled when he saw Hermione waving towards him. And then, disappeared into the darkness...

Hermione walked dreamily into The Leaky Cauldron, and found a seat dreamily and sat down with a thump.

"Happy?" Parvati sat down in front of her smiling slyly.

"Huh? Oh! Parvati...how did you know that?" Hermione woke up from her dream and asked with surprise.

"First, I saw Oliver sending you here in an umbrella; second, you're smiling without knowing it," Parvati explained with a smirk.

"Oh! Oh my... so...you saw..?" Hermione asked uncertainly.

"Sure," Parvati grinned broadly, "isn't he nice."

"yeah...he's gorgeous..." Hermione smiled and sat back into her chair. How she wished she could stay in front of that door forever, holding Oliver in the rain...

"Erm..." Parvati coughed.

"Uh huh? Oh! Sorry..." Hermione blushed, "what did you say?"

"I said, Harry and Ron are coming here tomorrow. Are you going to meet them?" Parvati said for the second time.

"Really? Sure! Why ask?" Hermione exclaimed.

"Coz I thought maybe Oliver asked you out tomorrow," Parvati giggled.

"You evil girl!" Hermione laughed.

* * *

"Hi Parvati! Hi Hermione! You two had a nice holiday?" Ron shouted through the crowds.

"Hi Harry! Hi Ron! Great Rome!" Hermione ran towards the two of them and greeted them.

"Nice time relaxing back home, Ron. You know that hon," Parvati smiled as she pulled his arm.

"Yuk," said Harry.

Hermione laughed.

Ron frowned and said, "You're being the old me Harry,"

"I know I know," Harry laughed.

"Hey Hermione, thanks for your presents, I admire them soooo much! It means a hundred to me!" Harry thanked her for his birthday presents.

"I'm very flattered," Hermione smiled gratefully.

"Where are we going now?" Harry asked everyone.

"Maybe... .A stroll to the coffee shop? Let's have some really tasty ice- cream!" Ron suggested as he smacked his lips.

"Yeah!" they all agreed and walked off to the coffee shop down the alley.

Their day was the most enjoyable one. They ate all kinds of sundae by sharing them and drank 4 kinds of tasty drinks by sharing them too! They strolled through shops and shops of tricky goods shop, buying things to have for their new year at Hogwarts, like dungbombs. They went for a look in the book shop (of course by Hermione's suggestion) and didn't see the so called The Invisible Book of Invisibility, since it's invisible.

Ron and Harry left after getting their school things. All of them couldn't wait till the first of September, the first day of school.


	7. Second Year

VII 2nd Year

"Where's Ron?" Parvati asked with a worried face as she looked all around the platform.

"And where's Harry?" Hermione asked in confusion.

Ron and Harry were being late, the Hogwarts Express is going to leave but the boys were not there yet. The loud "Shoooosh!" of the train was heard, indicating the train is leaving in five minutes.

"Oh my God...what if something happen to them? Something Really BAD?" Parvati panicked, "or what if they're not together? Oh no...oh no..."

Hermione looked around the platform for the one last time. Harry and Ron were nowhere to be seen.

"Let's get on the train...or else we'll be left behind too!" She gave a strong tug on Parvati's white mini T-shirt.

"But...But!" Parvati tried to loosen herself from Hermione's grip.

"Parvati, don't worry," Hermione held Parvati still and calmed her down, saying, "they will send owls to the teachers if there was any problem. The teachers will apparate them to somewhere near Hogwarts if that really happened. If WE stay here and find them, we're just gonna make much more troubles for the teachers to deal with. I suggest us to get on the train and find to see if they were on train, what do you say?"

Parvati tried to calm herself down as she nodded; she was worried for Ron's sake.

They got on the red train which will lead them to Hogwarts, the Hogwarts Express.

A loud blast of a whistle, then everyone popped they're heads out of the train windows to say goodbye to their families; the smoke was puffing out of the train chimney. Hogwarts Express was starting to move slowly, and then, gained speed as it went, as it went forth as it...left...

* * *

"I can't believe I'm back here again!" Hermione exclaimed with excitement.

"Me too..." Parvati stared up at the school building, the beautiful castle of Hogwarts.

Lights were shown over the stony walls, spots of lights were shining through the windows, and the pond surrounding the school was sparkling with the lights and the shadow of the school itself.

Hermione and Parvati followed a pile of students towards the school; they were not going to cross the pond like their first year.

"Wonder what we are going to get to the school on..." Hermione muttered mostly to herself.

"Wonder where Ron is..." Parvati said as a reply.

Ron and Harry were not on the train, they must have missed it.

"It's okay Parvati, I've sent an Owl to Professor Dumbledore about it after we've found out that Ron and Harry were not on the train. He'll surely take care of it." Hermione comforted Parvati.

Actually, she was getting a little bit worried too. Would the boys make it?

* * *

Hermione and Parvati sat at the Gryffindor table waiting for the Sorting ceremony to start. It was a weird feeling to be sitting here seeing the whole process that they did last year from a table, not the three-legged stool where you'll be sorted.

"Where the hell is Ron and Harry?" Parvati was getting very frustrated.

Hermione was keeping quiet but she was fingers without knowing it. She was worried too. She'd love to walk over to the teacher's table to ask but the ceremony began the moment she decided to stand up and ask.

Professor McGonagall set the Sorting Hat on the stool and everybody waited it to sing the sorting song.

_Students new and fresh this year,  
welcome to Hogwarts from far and near,  
we appreciate you for coming here,  
I'll be the one to sort you ,  
so do not fear._

To Gryffindors the bravest go  
you'll find more gifts then you know,  
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest go,  
you'll find best friendship far below,

And Hufflepuff, the humble workers,  
you'll find patience, worthy for admission,  
Last and ambitious Slytherin,  
Clever and cunning, so here you're in.

Topple me on,  
Don't fear the song,  
I'll search through your brains here and there,  
and tell you where you should belong!  
  
All students clapped their hands and cheered. The Sorting Hat seemed flattered; its brim was turning red.

"I don't think that's the same song as last year," Parvati said to Hermione as she clapped hands with the others.

"It isn't, if you've read A History: Hogwarts you'll know it makes a new song each year," Hermione replied as she clapped too.

The sorting began, and WHERE ARE HARRY AND RON???

"David Yorkshire!" (Gryffindor! shouted the sorting hat) was the last first year to be sorted.

After sorting, it was dinner time. Rumblings of stomachs were heard all around the Dining Hall.

Dinner back at Hogwarts was great, the food was delicious, and the candles were romantic. The rain outside was soft and gentle and chorused to the harmony coming from nowhere. The first years listen to the Gryffindor ghost, Nearly Headless Nick's story and the girls screeched with fear and surprise as Nick pulled his head off to one side to show them how 'nearly headless' was he.

Hermione and Parvati ate quietly; they couldn't wait to ask the teachers about Harry and Ron. They were more than worried now, Parvati was choking on the food, it didn't taste anything at all.

"I can't stand it, I'll go ask now," Parvati stood up and walked quickly towards the teacher's table. Hermione stood up and followed.

"Hey! You two! It's not allowed to leave your seats now!" Percy Weasly, Ron's brother and prefect of the Gryffindor House shouted from their backs.

"He's always like that, worried about his little rules rather than more important things like his brother," Hermione muttered under her breath.

Parvati nodded, she, too, didn't like Percy much.

The two of them walked pass the Ravenclaw's, then the Slytherin's table. Hermione could see Malfoy and his little gang sitting near to where they will pass, but he wasn't looking her way.

Suddenly, Malfoy stuck his leg out.

Parvati, not aware of anything but the teacher's table, tripped, and almost fell onto the marble floor. Luckily, Hermione had paid attention on him when she was passing by. She grabbed Parvati before she fell, and they both turned to snare at Malfoy.

Malfoy was smirking nastily, "worried about you poor little red-headed boyfriend?"

Parvati felt very hot that instant. She wasn't mad at Malfoy for tripping her, she was mad that he was insulting Ron.

She took out her wand, prepared to shouted at him with total anger but Hermione stopped her and coolly said to Malfoy, "mind your own business, you little alone loser."

Malfoy bit his lips and snared back. He was really vexed and Hermione had just stroked the critical point, he had been worried that he hadn't got a girlfriend, so, picked on Parvati. For Malfoy was rich; Ron was the opposite, yet Ron had a girlfriend, and a nice one too.

They two girls left the vexed Malfoy and got to the teacher's table, they both looked around, but Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, neither Professor McGonagall were no where to be seen.

Professor Snape looked up in a nasty way and almost spoke in his nosy evil tone when a kind voice came from behind.

"Worried about Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasly?"

It was Professor Dumbledore.

"Oh...Professor! We were looking for you...do you know where they are?" Hermione asked in panic, out of the corner of her eye, she could see Snape groaning. He must have felt disappointed for losing a chance to take a point from Gryffindor.

"Well Miss Granger, the two of them are sent to their rooms by now...they had...missed the train...and ...did something little bit out of control..." Professor was speaking in a low voice.

He seemed to be avoiding Snape's earshot, and then he continued, "You'll see them later. So, I suggest you two to eat fully and go to bed with satisfaction. It was a tiring journey I suppose. With all the worrying to do..." Dumbledore winked at Parvati, who was sighing with relief.

She blushed.

"Do they have anything to eat?" Hermione asked, she was still a bit worried, "are they injured?"

Parvati looked worried suddenly.

"Do not worry, they had plenty of sandwiches. And as for injuries...might be a few scratches, but not to worry about. Now go eat something before you two get starved and faint with hunger!" Dumbledore smiled and gave the two girls a push and sent them back to their table.

For the first time that night, the two of them ate without worrying. Dumbledore was a man/teacher/person to be trusted for.

Now, they couldn't wait to hear from Ron and Harry about the thing that made them miss the train.

* * *

"What happened?" Hermione asked Harry when they found them in the dormitory.

"Are you okay???" Parvati shook Ron's body as she search all around him for injuries, there wasn't much.

"Okay Parvati...I'm Okays..." Ron assured her as he gave her a big hug.

Harry's body itched, he suddenly wanted to hug Hermione hard, but he shook his head off the idea.

Hermione is Oliver's girlfriend, okay? G-i-r-l-f-r-i-e-n-d

"Harry! Tell us about it," Hermione pleaded as they sat around the fire.

They chose to sit on the carpet rather than the armchairs; the carpet was warm and comfy.

"Well, as we all know, Ron and me missed the train." Harry shrugged his shoulders and started.

And Ron continued, "We tried to pass through the wall, but it just became solid, impassable. We didn't know what to do. So, we decided to send an owl to Hogwarts."

"BUT unfortunately, Malfoy appeared. He knocked off my luggage and the cage which Hedwig was in opened up. Hedwig, flew out and off like crazy and went for it, it disappeared into the skies. I still remember Malfoy's disgusting smirk. He's jealous, I know it. He hasn't got a girlfriend but Ron does, that's what mattered," Harry said between gritted teeth.

"He laughed his head off as he and his little gang passed through the wall. You hear this, we tried to pass as soon as they went through, but it was IMPOSSIBLE. The wall refuse to let Harry and me pass through, ONLY. It was unbelievable. I swear to god I heard Malfoy laughing as he went through the wall." Ron explained with fury.

"Yeah, me too. It wouldn't be so surprising if he was the one who cast a curse on that wall, it really wouldn't." Harry snapped his fingers at this point.

Hermione and Parvati recalled the little fight with Malfoy at the dinner table. They told Harry and Ron about it, Ron was furious.

"And then? What happened? How did you get those scratches??" Parvati asked as she gently touched Ron's wounds. "Well...it's a long story. Since we lost Hedwig..." Harry started.

"Wait, where did Hedwig go?" Hermione interrupted.

"Tell you later," Ron laughed, "let Harry continue first."

Hermione nodded and apologized to Harry.

Harry cleared his throat and went on, "We lost Hedwig, so we decided to fly to Hogwarts by our broomsticks,"

"BROOMSTICKS!!?" Parvati gasped and her big eyes grew wide.

"Yeah... I know my broomstick is rather slow than Harry's... but we had no other choice to get to Hogwarts. Thanks to whoever it was who avoided us from getting on the train and that sick Malfoy," Ron laughed bitterly.

"Right...we knew we would be late, but there weren't any other method..." Harry said.

The four of them went silent for a moment.

Parvati broke the silence, "So? You two came by broomsticks but how on earth did you ever get these wounds??"

She pointed at Ron's arm, the wounds were plainly scratches made by some kind of creatures or beasts. They weren't scratches made by falling down or tree branches. "Well..." Ron started to drift into his memories...let's see what he and Harry were in store for on the way to Hogwarts...

_"HARRY!! You're too fast!!!!!" Ron shouted from behind Harry, who was flying definitely on his own pace._

"Whoa...wow..." Harry slowed down and flew right beside Ron's worn out- broomstick.

"It's so dark, I can't see you if we're too apart!" Ron complained.

The sun had gone down a few hours ago. Harry and Ron flew in the pitch black darkness. The only thing that guided them on the way was the lamps lit along the railway to Hogwarts. It was spooky, too. Since the only sound were the ones coming from the dark forests below.

"Sorry...I was starting to forget I'm on a Nimbus Two Thousand." Harry apologized with a grin.

"Are you starting a fight?" Ron grumbled, frowning on purpose.

"Hey Ron, just joking... HEY LOOK!" Harry pointed out into the dark excitedly.

"WHOWHO" something/someone cried.

"What's THAT?!" whispering weakly, Ron trembled as he stared at the 'thing' that was coming towards them.

"Can't you recognize it!!!? Hedwig!" Harry beamed as Hedwig flew onto his shoulder and hooted friendlily at the both of them.

Hedwig gave Harry's finger a peck and seemed to smile confidently; it flew off in front of them and led the way.

Ron sighed with relief and turned back towards the railway, following the lamp lights.

He muttered to himself, "I think we should be there by now...hope we're not too late for sorting...Oh My God!!"

There in front of them, was the school building itself, they could see the last few students running into the Great Hall, Professor Snape was closing the door.

"Gees!! We'd better hurry before he closes that!" Harry flew with all his might towards the door. He didn't like Snape, but at this moment, he'll have to say 'please', "Professor!! Please wait for us!" Harry shouted at the top of his lungs.

Snape look up to see the two boys flying towards him. He stared surprised for a second, and then, with a disgusting smirk, banged the door close and locked it tightly.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" Ron whined as he braked his broomstick.

Harry, still mounting on his broomstick, just stared at the closed door and frowned with disgust. This was the day he thought he'll hate Snape forever.

Hedwig flew down onto Harry's broomstick tip and looked up at his face with an innocent look. Then spread his snowy wings and flew up to the Owlerly.

"Yeah...yeah! Why not!" Harry blinked his eyes as he looked up at Hedwig who just flown into the Owlerly window.

"Huh??" Ron looked up with puzzlement, he was in total despair at the thought of not having dinner.

"You think...can we...yeah why not?" Harry pulled his broomstick upwards and flew up at top speed along the school building.

"What, Harry?! Why can't you just say what you're thinking and stop moving around on your own..." Ron gasped for breath as he followed Harry up.

When he reached to where Harry was, Harry was staring at the Owlerly's opening, shaking his head, "No...No..."

"Now what?" Ron asked.

"I thought...we could go through this Owlerly's opening to get into the school...but it seems it's impossible..." Harry explained sadly.

Ron looked at the opening, it was only a few inches big and not even Ron's head could go through. He bet not even his smaller sister, Ginny's could.

"We'll have to find another way..." Ron pat Harry's shoulder and the two of them left the opening, looking for another open window or opening of any sorts.

"Hey! What about the doorway to where the first years go through? The one on the Lake?" Harry suddenly said as he did a somersault.

"You mean the one we went through last year after we had a ride on boats?" Ron shouted as they both flew around the school towards the Lake.

In a flash, the two of them were already over the deep-blue lake. Weeds were floating silently; the wind gently blew the still water, forming water ripples here and there, the reeds moving to and fro...

Ron and Harry flew towards the wooden hinged door, which was covered with bits of moss.

"Hmm..." Harry flew near to examine the door, it was clearly locked.

Through the chink of the door, she could see a bar was hung over it from the other side.

The water moved violently for a second. Ron looked around, but the water stopped moving at once.

"H...Harry, Did you hear that?" Ron flew near him and asked with a trembling voice.

"This is terrible...could we open this with a wand? Hmm..." Harry stuck his hand into his pockets and looked for his wand. He wasn't listening to Ron at all.

"Hsss..s.s.s.ss!! ss Ziakkkkkss.s..s.s..s" the reeds waved violently, something was coming.

Ron flew near to Harry and pulled his sleeve as he stared at the reeds.

Ron shouted in a squeak, "Harry!" he hissed with a loud whisper, "I said 'did you 'ear somefinnnn' !!"

"What hear something?" Harry asked bluntly, but didn't turn around and still searched through his clothes for his wand.

"Come on Harry! Look around!" he turned to look at Harry and pulled Harry hard.

A slimy hand silently rose from the water; it swiftly took hold of Ron's leg, and tugged hard. Squeaky voices were heard from beneath the greenish- blue water.

When Ron noticed what had happened, he was off his broom and dropped into the water, screaming with fear, "Haaarrrry!!!!!!!"

Harry turned around, Ron was gone.

"What the?! Ron?" Harry said as he wiped his face, which got wet when Ron fell into the water.

He flew low and looked into the water, "Ron?"

A hand flew out two meters away from him, it was Ron's, "Ha..b.ryr...!!!" he shouted., half his face below of the water surface, almost drowning. (He tried to say Harry and Help in the same time)

"RON!" Harry flew near and pulled Ron's hand.

Something tugged hard; Harry shouted for help and flew straight into the water following Ron.

Arghhhhghghhgh!!!!!!! Harry tried to shout. But all that came out were bubbles and bubbles. Harry tried to open his eyes to see what was happening. But all he could see was weeds and reeds, hundreds of bubbles and something green swimming this way and that.

He felt the thing that was tugging was getting more and more violent. It pulled him this way and that, Harry tried to tug it off and swim up. But the creature/thing/beast/monster was pulling him deeper and deeper into the green weedy water. Its claws plunged deep into Harry's arm and scratched his face as he struggled to escape.

He felt his clothes getting heavier and heavier, he knew if he moved more, he'll sink more. But in this situation, if he didn't struggle he'll sink anyway. He opened his eyes once more, and saw his things in his pocket flew out of his pockets, including a crumpled box of Chocolate Frog he had saved to eat on the train

With all the pain, the scratches, the water drinking, Harry almost fainted. He wondered if he could ever see Hermione again, he was crying. But in the water, you don't know that, do you?

Maybe, he thought, he'll never need to see Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia or better, Dudley ever again, but...

Suddenly he remembered Ron was with him, was he safe? Was he deep under already? Had he drowned? No, he told himself. He couldn't give up. What would Parvati think if he died? What would Mr. and Mrs. Weasly say? And how about Hermione? He'll never see her again! He couldn't give in, not now!!

The creature had pulled him quite deep into the water. He had been half unconscious all through the thinking, but not now. He used his free hand to take off his cloak. It sunk into the water. Harry turned to the creature which was avoiding him to rise, and grabbed the creature's arm, it was very surprised. It thought Harry had drowned already.

It screeched (underwater) and tried to get Harry's hand off it's. Harry pulled over and bit its hand, the monster screamed and let go of Harry, at the moment Harry swam with his might up, up and up.

e didn't hesitate, the moment his head got out of water; Harry looked up and grabbed the first thing above him --- His Nimbus Two Thousand. He knew it would be there. Somehow their bond, between owner and broom, was strong enough to sense each other under and above water.

He pulled with all his might, pulling his heavy body up and tried to get on the broom. At once the creature, which Harry saw for the first time, jumped out of water to take hold of him. It was a green slimy creature with scales all over. Seeing it for the first time, you would unmistakably say that it was the devil from water hell.

Harry waved it off and shouted at the top of his lungs, "RON!! RON WHERE ARE YOU!!!"

The moment his fist hit the demon, he saw, in the dim lamp light, his wand floating in the water a few meters away. Harry finally got onto his broom (and biffed the demon) and flew at top speed to his wand, he grabbed it and pointed it at the demon which was coming towards him, and shouted, "Litisizzero!!"

Blizzzzzzzzz!!!!!!

Lightning sizzled out of Harry's wand and hit the creature; it went on fire and fearfully dived into the water.

Harry gasped for breath and looked around for Ron, "RON! RON!!!!"

"lumos" Harry said, still panting for much more oxygen.

A flicker of light shined on his wand tip and shown the lake. Everything was still, except a spot where reeds were quivering violently.

Harry tapped his broomstick and it flew towards the spot. What Harry saw frightened him out of his wits.

Five or Six Water Demons were crowded around a crumple of clothes; a body was floating in it, unconscious, not moving, nothing. The demons were screeching loudly suddenly and hit the body. The body turned and Harry could plainly see that the body had red-hair.

"Ron, Oh My God, Ron!" Harry hit the nearest water demon in front of him.

All the creatures turned to him for the first time; them opened their alien- like black disk eyes and stared at Harry. Then the leader-like one screeched loudly, the others followed and flew towards Harry and his broomstick.

Nimbus 2000 backed off with its natural sense, Harry held still and with the angriest voice you can imagine, he shouted with hatred, "GO TO YOUR BLOODY HELL! Litisizzero!!!!"

Blasts of lightening and fire sparks flew from Harry's wand, each flickering and hitting the creatures at their critical points. The leader screamed and disappeared into the water. All the others followed.

The water became still suddenly, Harry grabbed the already sinking Ron off the water, pulling off Ron's cloak and letting it float alone. He pulled Ron's body to shore and layed him on the ice-cold floor. They were under a bridge, outside, it was raining.

Ron's eyes were shut, his body was lame. He wasn't breathing.

"Ron, Ron, please wake up...no...come on!!! You're tougher than that! Please!!!!" Harry shook Ron's body, "You can't die! Parvati and Hermione...everyone else is waiting for us! Come on! Come on!!!"

Harry started to drop tears. Why was this happening to Ron? He couldn't die, why wasn't it him that had been drowned? He had no family, no girl friend, no one to care for. He wished he could switch places with Ron; Ron had a poor but perfect family, a nice girlfriend. If he died everyone will be sad. How could he die just like this!??!

"Someone! Please! Help!!" Harry shouted and still crying, hic-coughed, "please...please..."

Through Harry's blurred eyes, he saw shadows moving towards him, and fainted.

"How is he?"

"Fine Professor...he'll wake up soon enough,"

Harry lifted his eyelids slowly. The whole world was blurred around him. He had lost his glasses.

Where was he? He felt very comfortable, a soft and warm feeling. Did he die? Just as he had hoped, had he died instead of Ron?

"If they wake up, will you please let them back to the dormitories, Poppy? It's the first night...I want them to be back in their rooms..."

Poppy? Harry knew that name. It was the name of Madam Pomfrey of the hospital wing. So he didn't die? How about Ron?

Harry tried to get up, a sharp pain ran through his body. "Aw!" he shouted.

"..? Harry?"

Harry felt startled, that voice was unmistakably Ron's.

"Ron! Ron?" Harry shouted.

"Harry!" Ron shouted from the bed right beside him, he was half awake.

"Will you two stop shouting at each other?! This is the Hospital Wing!" Madam Pomfrey said as she put her hands above her ears.

After Madam Pomfrey gave Harry his eye-glasses and gave each of them a blue pill (which will stop the pain) and sandwiches, Harry and Ron walked out of the Hospital Wing, spic and span.

"Afterwards we understood that it was Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey who Harry had seen before he fainted. And we got back here but not to the Dining Hall because Dumbledore didn't want us to scare the first years..." Ron was explaining when he stopped to look at Parvati.

She was weeping hard and holding Ron's sleeve with her hand. Suddenly she started to cry loudly, Ron hugged her at once. Parvati went on crying and crying, she was so scared when she heard what happened to the boys, she couldn't believe that it was really Ron she was holding now.

Harry looked at Parvati and Ron, he was glad that Ron was alive. If Ron died, Harry knew he couldn't face Parvati; she'll fall into despair forever.

Harry smiled and turned to Hermione, "she needs time,"

Harry stared at Hermione; she was staring at the carpet silently, her long brown hair hiding her eyes. Harry could see she was biting her lower lip. Harry looked at her with concern; he suddenly realized she was shaking unsteadily, her body moving to and fro.

"Hermione?" Harry leaned close to her and peeped into her face.

He was surprised to see Hermione's hazel eyes were sparkling with trembling tears. Tears she was trying to hold back.

Harry frowned as he concentrated on her white face. His lips parted, Harry felt a strong urge to hold her, an extremely uncontrollable wanting to hold her in his arms, and comfort her.

When he had noticed what he had done, he was already holding her tight in his bosom. Hermione suddenly gave a squeak, and both hands grasping Harry's navy blue vest, she started to cry madly.

Still, trying to hold down her voice, she cried her heart out in silence. No one in the common room, not even Ron and Parvati, busy with their own crying business, noticed that Harry was holding a crying Hermione in his arms.

"I...I...When I... thought that maybe you two hadn't had the chance to come back, when...when I thought that I should have worried when you two didn't come to the platform...I couldn't help it Harry...I'm so sorry I weren't there...to ..help you..." Hermione cried out the words in tears.

Harry never thought Hermione would cry for him...well, not only for him...but all the time he had thought he wasn't important to anyone. Ron had all the things he wanted, warm-hearted living parents, funny siblings, a girlfriend who loved him...

Harry had fame, sure he had that. He was called the boy who lived from Voldermort the Dark Lord. He was famous, everyone knew him, people talked about him everywhere...but he hadn't got the most important thing to a boy...a warm caring relationship with someone important, the something he'll cherish with all his soul...

But now he had noticed something he hadn't seen before. He had friends. Friends who would care, who would support him, who would share happiness and sorrow with him, who would cry for him...

Although he knew Hermione hadn't have feelings for him the way he wanted, he felt comforted that she still cared his existence, he wasn't someone who nobody needed.

Harry couldn't find words...between long pauses Harry whispered to her tenderly, "...I'm here...We're here...Hermione...it's over...I'm okay, Ron's okay! ...We're Okay.. Hermione...Hermione..."

Harry didn't know when, but when he looked down at Hermione after a long while, Hermione had fallen asleep silently. Harry smiled at the face with tears staining her cheeks. She was breathing slowly...clearly much more peaceful than she once was.

Harry suddenly noticed Parvati, too, wasn't crying anymore. He turned to see Parvati sleeping on Ron's shoulder, and Ron sleeping on her head.

Silently, he took out his wand and whispered the magic words. A soft white mist puffed out of his wand-tip, making a floating cushion for each of his sleeping friends.

It transported them back to their dormitories, into their blankets, and let them sleep there peacefully till the first ray of sunlight sprinkle their sleepy faces awake.


	8. Training Camp

VIII the Training Camp

"Thanks for sending us to bed last night Harry," said Ron as the four friends walked down the stairs to the Dining Hall for breakfast.

"Yeah, thanks," Parvati thanked him, too. Her eyes were piggy since she'd cried last night.

Hermione just smiled at Harry as he said, "anytime," with a blush.

There were lots of people in the Great Hall as they passed by. People were crowding in front of the wall and excited whispers were heard everywhere. Ron, who was the tallest of them all, tip-toed and read the notice being pasted onto the bricked-wall.

"Aw...err...what the...training...err...camp?? ...err... at Hogskey? Err...Next week...only second years allowed!" Ron's eyes widen at every word he read out, "we can go to a training camp at Hogskey next week!"

"Really!?" Harry shouted as he tried to get close and read the notice for himself.

Hermione asked suspiciously, "what sort of training camp?"

"err...I think it was..." Ron didn't know at all.

"Students! Students!" Professor Flitwick appeared through the Hallway.

"It is breakfast time and you are all blocking other students way! Now into the Dining Hall please. Come along!" he shouted and waved his hands.

The excited students, including Harry, Ron, Parvati and Hermione walked into the Hall following Flitwick. What was Professor Dumbledore planning for them?

"Silence, Silence!" Dumbledore said as Professor McGonagall tapped her glass bowl with a spoon, making a clinging sound.

The students suddenly stopped to chitter and chatter and the Hall was filled with absolute silence. Everyone waited to hear from Dumbledore.

"I believe that most of you had read the notice on the walls and are wondering what sort of training camp it is. In this school, we teach you magic abilities and improve your magical skills so you can with the magical world. During the summer, the teachers had opened meetings for the new school year and Professor Flitwick had asked a very considerable question..." here, Dumbledore smiled at Professor Flitwick, "that is...'How can our students survive without wands?' "

The students started to whisper to each other. Professor McGonagall tapped her glass bowl again. There was silence.

"As we all know, all wizards and witches require a wand to live, but what if you lost it in a fight? What if you lost it in the wild? What can you do? Considering these, we had decided to run a training camp to improve your non-magic abilities and in the same time, non-wand magical abilities."

The students started to whisper again. This time McGonagall didn't stop them.

"And so, we have decided to let year two students, chosen through voting between teachers, to be the first group of students to train these powers next weekend. And if all are successful, we will let all students join the camp next month. Do I make myself clear?"

The year two students beamed. They were going to camp! "Next week... this is soooo great!" Ron shouted for joy with his eyes twinkling.

The four of them had joined the camp without hesitation at Dumbledore's news. The camp will last from Friday afternoon to Sunday morning next week. Ron had already decided what snacks to bring to the camp.

"And it starts on Friday! No Potions!!!" Parvati shouted with glee as she pointed at her weekly timetable in her schedule book.

Ron and Harry dropped their jaws and widen their eyes. For Once! NO POTIONS!!!

Skipping with happiness, the four of them ran to their Potions lessons. Thinking that they wouldn't have Potions for the weekend, the lessons they are going to face now didn't seem that bad after all. "What will you wear to the camp, Hermione?" Parvati asked as she packed her things. They were leaving tomorrow morning for the camp.

"Erm... I think...this marine blue sweater...and these tight blue jeans," Hermione replied as she flipped out thousands of clothes from her suitcase.

The amount of clothes she had brought to school had increased much more than last year.

"As for me...this black boat-necked blouse and this pair of trousers with sparkling stars on it," Parvati said with a grin as she showed Hermione her new trousers.

Hermione marveled the hundreds of small glittering stars on Parvati's trousers and the two of them giggled as they guessed what the boys would wear.

"It's a pity the camp is only for Second Years," Parvati had said the thing Hermione was thinking all day long.

"..Yeah...but if all goes well, MAYBE we will have chances to go camping with the other Years next time," Hermione said to comfort herself rather than replying Parvati.

"Yup! That's like you," Parvati patted Hermione's shoulder, "Always think to the better side."

Hermione smiled.   
Saturday morning, the second years which joint the camp were lining up in front of the school. As Hermione and Parvati searched for Harry and Ron, they found out that Draco, the muggle-hater was actually going too.

"I wonder why..." Parvati said as she tip-toed to see where was Ron.

"I don't really wanna know..." Hermione commented as she made a disgusting look at Draco when he winked a sly wink at her.

"Hey Look!"

Hermione turned to look at where Parvati was pointing. To her surprise, Oliver Wood was there in the crowd, with Ray Whites and Davis Landon beside him.

(In case you've forgotten, Ray is Angelina Johnson's boyfriend and Davis is the guy with long auburn hair chatting with Oliver and Connie in the middle of Chapter X) Out of nowhere, Ron grasped Parvati's arm gently. "What the hell is Wood doing here?" Ron said surprised.

Parvati was surprised and glad to find him that she hugged him hard.

"Wha...? Parvati?" Ron exclaimed with astonishment and happiness.

"Oh come on guys you two haven't met only for a night!!" Fred said from beside Ron.

Ron ignored him and kissed Parvati's forehead. George made a puking position.

"Glad he's here, huh?" Harry teased Hermione as he squeezed through the crowd to them.

Hermione didn't reply. Harry could see the expression on her face. He understood he didn't need to hear her answer at all.

Everything was great, the year twos were piled onto three buses and Hermione got to be on the same bus as Oliver got onto. She heard from some Ravenclaw students that the Sixth Years were here to help the teachers out. The second news was much more amazing. The students were separated into six groups and Oliver is leading her team! SHE COULD BE WITH OLIVER THROUGHOUT THE CAMP! AT THE CAMP

When they got to The Hogskey Camp Site, all the students scrambled into the big hall and chose seats. Hermione sat with her friends in the front row. She turned around to see where Oliver was. He was with the other 6th Years, at the back of the hall.

"Do you know who's gonna lead us in the camp?" Ron asked Hermione from her left.

Hermione turned to look at him.

"You mean the sixths?" Hermione questioned back.

"No, he means the teachers," Harry replied before Ron did, "isn't it odd? Not a teacher had come with us ..."

Harry was right, they hadn't seen a teacher since they left Hogwarts. Harry tried to tame his messy black hair as he looked around, still no teacher to be seen.

Soon, the hall was piled with students. Everyone was chatting loudly, talking about the following days at camp. No one was sitting patiently. Hermione, who was the only one staring at the empty stage in front of them, had a queer feeling that something might suddenly pop up on the stage...

"Isn't that ...Smoke?" Ron said as he pointed at the middle of the wooden stage with a trembling finger.

"Huh!? What are you talking about? How could there be smoke..." Draco, who was sitting behind Parvati sneered at Ron loudly, but stopped when he saw what was coming out of the stage floor.

SMOKE.

White smoke was puffing out slowly from a crack in the wooden floor.

"No smoke huh?" Ron smirked at Draco, who bit his lower lip.

The amount of smoke increased at top speed, and soon, all the students were silently staring at the stage...

BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A loud explosion. And out of the smoke, a witch wearing a cloak stepped out silently...

Everyone held their breaths and waited to see what will happen. Who was she? Why was she there? The same question was floating in everyone's mind.

Now let me describe her to you. This witch was about 25 years old; she was quite tall and slender. She had long reddish brown hair, which she had tied into a ponytail. And she had those beautiful green eyes, sparkling like emeralds in her face, except, they were cold, cold as ice. She wasn't smiling either. Instead, her lips were curved downwards, which made her beautiful face looked a lot like Snape, especially her facial expression. She had the same old ice cold atmosphere around her.

The witch still stayed silent. She looked at the students in front of her, from the left side of the hall to the right. Hermione gulped as she looked pass her slowly.

"She's giving me the creeps," Hermione whispered to the nearest person to her, which was Harry.

Harry tried to nod, but when the witch stopped and stared at him, and seeing a sign of disgust in her eyes, he stopped his nod in mid-air. Harry had a bad feeling that he's going to have a bad time with this she-Snape in the camp... "I do believe that all of you are ready for any challenge in the following days?" the witch's voice rang through the hall.

Everyone jumped at her voice. No one expected her to speak so suddenly.

"Her voice is even colder than her creepy eyes...: Hermione commented quiet enough for only Harry to hear.

"YOU THERE!" the witch shouted, her forefinger pointed at Hermione's face.

Hermione froze and stared at the witch without saying a word. Harry and Ron raised their eyebrows with surprise. Parvati clasped her hand over her mouth.

"Didn't your parents teach you should keep silent when others are talking? I command you to stand up and say your name!"

Suddenly, a great force pulled Hermione off the chair. She was sure that she wasn't willing to stand up, but the witch's voice somehow had the power to pull her off her seat.

"Speak up! Why do you speak when you shouldn't and do not speak when you're spoken to?" the witch's voice was getting harsher and harsher.

Hermione stood straight and trying to keep calm said in a firm voice, "Hermione Granger."

"Hermione Granger. Group 5, I will deduce five marks off your group for talking, now sit down and listen," She commanded.

And Hermione, again without her being conscious, sat down as fast as she stood up. She felt her face going red, in the same time, heard Draco Malfoy laughing quietly behind her. Tears were forming in her eyes, but all most at once, she stopped herself crying. After all, it had been impolite to speak while others are talking. But she couldn't help hating the witch on the stage, who was saying rules after rules of the camp site to the students then.

WHAT?! You're gonna keep my wand!!?" Draco shouted out loud when Oliver told him to hand in his wand.

"This is a Muggle Training Camp, you know. You can't have a wand with you, no muggles have wands," Oliver said matter-of-factly and grabbed Draco's wand off his hand.

Draco pulled back and shouted, "No way, let go!"

But second year Draco was still no match to the seventh year Oliver. The burly young lad just said the magic words under his breath without a wand in his hand and Draco's wand slipped out of Draco's hand and into Oliver's. Draco gapped his mouth.

Oliver walked off. And with a smile, asked Hermione to hand in her wand, which she obediently handed-in with a shy smile. From behind, Draco silently cursed Oliver, which Madam Frisbee, the woman on the stage heard him through the chattering crowd. She waved her wand. Without a warning, Draco soared into the air and did a somersault, swearing all the way. Then, fell onto the cold floor with a bang and fainted. Everyone went silent.

Madam Frisbee cleared her throat and said, "If any of you cursed anyone or swore in this camp, you will taste the same or worse curse on yourselves. Do I make myself clear?!"

Everyone nodded with fear. Draco came to sense slowly, saying to himself that he hate his dad for making him to come to this camp.

"You all know which team you are in, don't you?"

Everyone nodded.

Madam said on, "Now get along to your rooms and change into sports wear and assemble at the grass field. You! Stand up right now!" she poked a long pole at Draco's back. He stood up unsteadily.

Lastly, she asked, "Any more questions?"

Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl, put up her hand. She was one of the small numbers of Slytherin students who came. Most of them didn't join in. Hermione guessed she came just because Draco was coming.

"Well?" Madam Frisbee asked coldly. She wasn't glad someone put up her hand; you could see she was frowning.

"The bed rooms...Are we going to sleep with the other Houses?" Pansy asked proudly. It was just plain to see she didn't want to sleep with the other House's girls. So did no one wanted to sleep in the same room with her.

Madam seemed very impatient with this question. "There is no such thing as 'House' in this camp. There are only the differences of 'group'' and 'the opposite sex' in here. So, of course you're going to sleep with other girls of different houses. To remind you..." she snared at a pack of naughty boys(including the sixth years) discussing what to do that night, who stopped at once when Frisbee looked at them, "Entering of the opposite sex's rooms is strictly forbitted in here."

A few boys and girls groaned. Okay now, let's start," Oliver clapped his hands and smacked his lips as he announced to his group.

"First, all of you are going to say your names, but there are rules," Natasha Brooks, with her shiny sky-blue eyes smiling at her group, said after Oliver.

"You have to think of an action, a movement. When you say your name, you have to do it, and all of us," Natasha looked at all of the students in turn, "have to follow him or her. I guess you don't understand, so I'll show you an example."

Natasha said, "I am..." as she started to do a somersault. She did a beautiful one and landing on the ground shouted, "Natasha!"

She smiled cutely, her shoulder length blond hair flowing in the wind as she made an ending pose.

Everyone stared at her with surprise, AND confusion. Some clapped at her beautiful performance.

Oliver explained on, "then all of you should shout 'Natasha!' after her and do the action together, very easy. Rite?"

...silences

"Is that it?" Draco said (rather to himself) proudly, "That's stupid."

The other students made a disgusting look at Malfoy, but they all agreed it was ridiculous.

"Just do it, okay?" Natasha said (a little disappointment in her voice), "You first," She pointed at Harry on her left.

Malfoy grinned evilly. Oliver nodded at Harry and Frisbee was looking this way.

Harry sighed, he thought for a while, then karate kicked suddenly, saying, "I Am Harry!"

Hermione blurt out a laugh, many girls did too. Harry had karate kicked! 

"Now everyone follow him!" Natasha clapped her hands as she smiled at the crowd once more. The Year two students laughed as they karate kicked and shouted "Harry!" Yuki Nakagawa, a Japanese Ravenclaw girl, did it beautifully that everyone asked her to encore.

It was ridiculous, but it was fun. Everyone thought of a funny action to introduce them. Hermione danced hip hop, ("Where'd you learn that?" Harry asked her. She replied she learnt it from a friend in Rome.) While Malfoy sang Avril's, "Sk8er Boi" (Oliver must had casted a spell on him), everyone laughed and followed. Almost everyone remembered each others names.

After the introduction, the three groups chose leaders and made up a name for their group. Harry would have become the leader, but Malfoy objected. (They needed everyone to agree to choose a leader) So some girls chose Hermione, which nobody objected.

Ron's group was led by a Ravenclaw, Rocky, a burly boy who's in the Quidditch team as Beater, while Parvati's group by a Hufflepuff boy called Dysen, he had a really handsome face with grayish blue eyes.

Then the real challenge began... "It seems most of you had overcome the embarrassing part?" Frisbee asked.

"Now three groups. You will separate to three different challenging zones. Granger group to the grass fields again, Jacob (Dysen's) Groups to the Hall, Willis (Ricky's) Group to the playground, Okay now? Go, go, and go!"

Everyone ran for it, Frisbee wanted everything to be quick as possible. The twenty students of Hermione's group stood beneath a tall oak tree. Some of them looked up to see if there was something there. Everyone was excited with the challenge. After all, it was their first time to go to camps like this.

And there was something up on the tree.

"What's that?" Harry said to Hermione beside him as he pointed at the round thing up on the tree.

It was the size of a baseball and was hung there on a branch with a sturdy rope around it. No one could make out what it was.

"Now everyone! This is the first challenge 'nose touch'!" Natasha said brightly when a few girls giggled at the name.

"I know it sounds silly," Natasha smile embarrassingly, "But that's what it is called."

Oliver spoke next, "I guess most of you have seen the apple hanging above your heads,"

"So it's an apple," Hermione whispered to Harry.

Oliver continued, "What you need to do is touch the apple with your nose, every one of you must do it in turn, with the help of nothing else but what you have in front of you."

Everyone looked around, there was nothing.

"What 'thing' are you talking about?!" Draco questioned rudely.

"Why! Can't you see? You've got only your group mates with you!" Natasha said with a grin, "And to remind you," she suddenly became serious," no magic."   
Oliver and Natasha stood aside and watched as the Year Twos

grouped together and started to pull their shoes off their feet.

"Okay, here goes!" Jacob and Robin , two big gorilla boys (think of two Goyle), shouted as everyone heaved Yuki, the Japanese girl, up the two boys' shoulders.

The sun was high, shining through the leaves and branches of the tree. It was mid-noon. Yuki stood up slowly, her short black hair getting wet with sweat, her skinny knees trembling a bit. She looked quite weak and seemed as if the wind blew she would be flown away. But she was EXTREMELY sporty. Everyone knew her as the fast-moving Karate girl of Ravenclaw.

Yuki tried to straighten her bended legs, but her upper body wouldn't listen to her and started to move to and fro. Everyone stood around the boys to catch her in case she fell. Some held her legs and some even her hip.

Oliver walked quickly to the crowd and caught hold of Yuki's hand as she stood up a bit straighter. She was standing totally straight now; her face was only a few more inches from the apple!!

Yuki tried to ignore the fact she was high in the air and looked up as so her nose can touch the apple. She started to move to and fro again. She tried to stand still and tip-toed a bit, looking up and standing tall as much as she could. But there were still some distance from the apple... Losing balance, she fell on the crowd. Luckily she wasn't hurt. Harry and some other boys caught her before she hit the grass.

"Oh now what can we do?" Jamie a Hufflepuff said sadly as she helped Yuki to stand up.

"Why don't some of us who are taller stand on Robin's and my shoulders?" Jacob suggested. A few girls nodded.

"Don't be ridiculous, if so, how are the shorter ones of us going to touch the apple? ALL OF US have to go up," Hermione stated.

"Stand on their heads maybe" Malfoy said staring at Robin with a smirk.

"You try to be the one holding people up, I'll go up and break YOUR neck," Robin sneered back at him furiously.

"Stop fighting," Hermione stopped them, "So, any ideas? Stand out if you have. To be honest, I don't have one." she sighed.

Hermione was good at school subjects, wizardry and muggle-subjects, both. But when it came to these physical activities, she almost had no idea.

Harry stepped in front slowly, by his look, he seemed to have an idea that he was working out.

"Look, HARRY POTTER has his ideas for his mudblood girlfriend," Malfoy laughed.

Harry frowned at Malfoy, he was going to give him a piece of his mind but Oliver came in between them.

If you EVER say that to Hermione again, I'LL KILL YOU," he threatened Malfoy.

Frisbee must had hadn't heard what Malfoy had said. Or else she would have got here to 'kill' Malfoy by now.

"What? Saving your girlfriend?" Malfoy asked with his mocking tone, and turned to look at Hermione, "seems you have quite a lot of boyfriends Granger?"

"Sadly you're not one of them," Harry said, looking up at the now turning apple. It must be the wind which caused that.

Oliver frowned a bit but said nothing.

Malfoy turned to Harry and frowned, he tried to blast something back at Harry but Hermione broke in, "Stop it, all. We need to finish this task. Tell me Harry, what is your idea?"

"Well...I was thinking...that maybe apart from our heads, the only things that can push us up that high are...our hands." Harry said with hesitation.

Everyone's eyes opened wide with surprise. But Natasha and Oliver's smiled,

"I mean...we have 40 hands and arms here, maybe some of us can be the 'base' for the person to stand on, if our arms are straight enough and the others hold the person who goes up's legs and hips like just now, maybe. It'll work?" Harry finished his presentation.

Everyone looked at Hermione, some nodded, and some looked terrified. Oliver gave her an approving look.

She gulped and said, "It worth a try."

"One Two THREE!!!" all of the twenty students shouted out loud as they pushed Hermione, who was standing on thirty hands, up into the tree.

Hermione, who had decided to try Harry's plan, bravely suggested that she will be the one to go up since she was scared that others would get hurt.

Biting her lower lip, she straightened her knees unsteadily. Everyone was anxious, people stood around the people who were holding up their hands cupping her feet and grabbing her legs, and pushed her hip up.

Hermione was extremely frightened, she would be about 10 feet tall when she stood up straight, what if she fall?? Suddenly, someone under her tripped, the hands which were holding her up wobbled, she tried to keep her balance, she almost lost it when Oliver caught her hand over the crowd. Hermione squeezed it hard with hesitation. She had stood up straight! She looked at Oliver from the corner of her eye. He looked almost nervous as she was. She heaved a deep sigh, she felt more confident with the warm hand in hers. One more step to the apple.. She looked up slowly; the green apple was still turning above her head. There was still a little distance between her nose and the apple. She tip- toed a bit...a little more... a little more.. "YES!" Someone under her shouted. She touched the apple with her nose! Hermione wasn't at all relieved yet, she still had to go down. But the students were so happy that some of them carelessly let go of Hermione's legs and hips, she felt the ground, no, the hands giving way beneath her feet! She fell! A frightened scream! "Hermione!" Harry shouted with fright. He had been pushed away from the crowd when they cheered.

When the crowd backed away and Harry saw what had happened. He sighed with relief and wiped off the sweat on his forehead.

Oliver had Hermione tight in his arms, right before she'd touched the floor and maybe had her broke a bone or two.

"Thanks...thanks, Oliver," Hermione thanked him and blushed crazily. The people around her blew whistles and clapped hands. Hermione blushed more, then, suddenly made a serious face.

"Come along guys! We haven't got time! And next time..." Hermione looked at everyone's faces. The 19 people around her gulped.

"Don't throw people off once he or she touched the apple."

Everyone smiled embarrassingly.

One by one they tried. One by one they went up. They heaved and huffed and puffed and pushed them up! At 18mins 45sec, they've finished the task. Some groaned that they passed the limit; some screamed for joy for they had finished the task they thought impossible.

"So does this mean we've not finished this task?" Harry asked Natasha.

Natasha just smiled; she looked at everyone and said, "The next task! Off to the grounds..."

The students passed one after one tasks, they had finished three tasks until dinner time. Everyone sat together to eat all they can, for they were really hungry after a whole day of training. After the dinner, they went to the hall and assembled.

All the groups sat in circles. Hermione sat beside Harry and Natasha, Oliver sat opposite her. They hadn't spoken to each other for some time. She felt odd, how could a couple doesn't talk to each other? Not to talk about why they wouldn't sit together...

"Now, we want you to discuss what did you do today how you felt and what had you learnt today," Natasha started the discussion, "I want someone to sum up what we've done today...maybe our leader Hermione, please?"

Hermione sat nearer to the center of the group, smiling shyly, she began.

"First, we did the apple nose touch task and done the task by using Harry's idea. We had also used Robin's idea in the beginning but it didn't work for all of us. We passed the time limit when the task was finished. The second task --- Amazon River Bridge, was held at the river behind the hall, and we didn't finish it."

Some group members groaned here, Malfoy clicked his tongue loudly. Hermione continued, "Draco... had thought of an idea to pass the Amazon river by a bridge he thought up of but most of us objected. We used Robin's idea in the end but it dropped Yuki into the river three times before she reached the treasure box. After we passed the time limit still trying Robin's way, Natasha had told us that Draco's idea would have worked. The third task was the Pole Climbing. All of us agreed to use Draco's idea and one by one climbed up the pole and fly over to the other side of the pole with only two guys to help us on the pole. We finished the task in time. That's all for today's tasks' summary."

The group members applauded.

"Thank you Hermione, do you have anything else to say about how you feel about today's tasks?" Oliver asked her.

"Well...Yes. When we were discussing our ideas, some of us couldn't hear others' suggestions because people are shouting their ideas out. And some were even not listening at all and didn't agree or disagree others idea. I hope this will be improved in tonight's task," Hermione replied, "and...I think I should examine my own conscience. Also most of us should do so, that we shouldn't be biased when we choose who to support. Thank you."

Malfoy made a small smirk.

"Yes...that is VERY important, sometimes biased way of thinking makes us blind" Natasha, said as she nodded her head, "Now I want all of you to say your opinions one by one. We'll start from Harry."

So one by one they said their ideas. Some introspected that they hadn't think for others when they persuaded everyone to use their ideas. Some said that they hadn't participated much in the task and wished to change themselves in the coming tasks. Robin apologized to Yuki for making her fall into the water three times, and so on. "Great, you've all done very well in the thinking of teamwork. Yes, 'teamwork' -- is the major aim of this camp training. We had called it the 'muggle-training camp' because we wouldn't allow you to use magic. But the truth is, we want you to train your AQ --- Achievement Quotient. And 'why?'" Natasha smiled at a pair of girls looking confused, "should be answered by tomorrow afternoon, in our last discussion before leaving this camp, any problem?" Natasha asked her group.

All of them shook their heads except Jacob, who raised his hand.

He asked, "What will we do tonight?"

"That," Oliver replied with a devilish grin, "would be fun; it's called 'The Night-blind Hide-and-Seek'."

Some timid girls squealed. Draco smirked but had a hint of fear in his eyes.

Everyone knew that it would be really dark in the night around here. There are no street lamps or things of that sort since this camp's in the countryside. You can't even see your fingers of your hands when you reached into the dark. There isn't a village nearby too. If you get lost, no one will save you.

What was gonna happen? Hermione was a bit frightened, she hoped that the staff and the older schoolmates...Like Oliver wouldn't be thinking of something dangerous than the Amazon River task...which in Jamie, a Hufflepuff, almost drowned...

"Here you go, each of you should have one. Here," Oliver handed Hermione an eye-mask.

Hermione smiled and accepted, "Thanks."

Harry got one from Oliver too, he asked, "What's this for, Oliver?"

Oliver smiled his teasing smile, "Why, Harry! To cover your eyes of course."

Harry groaned with disappointment as he put on his mask, Hermione giggled.

"Whatcha laughing at Hermione?" Harry asked with masked eyes.

"Nothing...just thought that you look funny in that," Hermione giggled.

"Now don't put on your masks yet! I want you to have discussions first, remember?" Natasha shouted out at everyone.

Harry pulled off his eye-mask quickly. Hermione thought he was blushing a bit.

Natasha was still shouting, "Now listen! This task is dangerous if you don't listen to me now! Listen! Right... There are a few things you need to remember. Firstly, you have to put your mask on and NO PEEKING! We will know if you did, don't worry Draco."

Malfoy didn't even smirk or reply.

Natasha continued, "Secondly, you will be moving in a line, I don't care how you move together as a group,

by holding hands or sticking simply together. When you have your masks on, you will follow a rope to walk to from the start,

to the finish spot. Okay?"

Everyone nodded.

"Lastly, the most important part. LISTEN." Natasha made a serious face at a few girls chatting,

which was a funny face on Natasha, she continued, "the staff will pull some of you out of your group's queue in the middle of the game.

You will get instructions from the staff then. You can either move around walking blindly to find your group mates or be told to stand still and wait for people to find you,

I don't know for sure, since I'll be playing with you."

Some of the students gasped at this news

"And Oliver too," (Hermione smiled ear to ear) Natasha said on,

"And the only way to complete the task is to get all your group mates to the finish spot. If any of you is lost or you don't get to the ending spot,

you lose. The last group who got to the spot will have to wash the toilet of the camp.

Okay? Start discussion now." And they did. Hermione suddenly thought of a question. She asked Oliver, "Can we shout? Speak? Whatever?"

"No one said you cant," he smiled at her. Hermione blushed.

"Okay, are you prepared?" Jolly-James (nickname), a funny clown-like staff was shouting gleefully,

"Put your masks on! Very Good! All group leaders lead the queue! Yes, thank you! All staffs lead the groups out please, thank you.

Have a good workout! Wish all of you good luck! Don't get lost in the dark!"

James' voices were fading away behind Hermione's ears. Harry's hands were on her shoulders right behind her.

She wondered what will happen as she felt the coldness of the air creeping up her neck. Will she be caught?

She hoped not. She wished Jolly-James' blessings works... "Wish me luck" she thought.

The rope between her fingers (rather her palm) was shaking.

She suddenly remembered she was leading a whole group, including Oliver...

"Wish us luck..." she whispered under her breathe.

"O my god it's sooooooooooooo dark!" Hermione hissed to Harry behind her. They were walking into the woods. A branch hit Hermione's face, "Aw!"

"What!?" Harry whispered loudly.

"Just a branch...Be careful." Hermione hissed once again. Dodging the branch and holding it up for Harry.

"O... It's like we're really blind..." Harry whispered back as he held the branch for Yuki behind him, "do you know why are we whispering?"

"I dunno...Erm...WA!!!!!!!!!!" Hermione shouted loudly as someone pulled her arm violently away from the rope.

"Hermione?!" Harry shouted as he tried to grab tight at her shoulders but lost grip.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed with fear.

"What, what's happening!?" Yuki shouted.

"Harry! Oh no, Harry you lead on without me!" Hermione panicked.

"Bu..but..! Wait! Hermione?" Harry panicked but didn't let go of the rope.

"Shhhh.." The someone said in Hermione's ears as they walked away from the group, their shouting voices for Hermione was getting farther by and by.

It was a woman's voice, "don't shout anymore, and listen. You can walk around or anything. But you're not allowed to shout until you find your group. Okay? I'll leave you here..."

She left Hermione in the middle of nowhere; Hermione felt the air around her suddenly as cold as ice. There wasn't anyone.

"Now what can I do?" Hermione panicked in her heart but did as she should - keep quiet. Okay I'll walk around. I guess it was this way? Or that way?

"Oh no I'm lost," she thought.

She turned around in circles then lastly decided to follow her instincts. Where's she going? Hmm...

Hey I'm here! Number 15 is here!! Is anyone coming to save me or not?? I'M NOT ALLOWED TO MOVE!!!!!!!"

a boy was shouting from somewhere very near Hermione recognized his voice at once.

"No. 15...Malfoy?" Hermione whispered, hoping no teacher around will hear her.

Every person has a number in her group so when she count people it'll be easier afterwards.

"I'm saying HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!" the boy shouted.

Not hearing Hermione at all.

"Malfoy?" Hermione hissed louder.

"I said..." the boy started again but Hermione bumped into him,

"Aw! Oh? The damned spell's off at last! Who the hell are you!?"

"You've been casted on a leg-lock spell huh Malfoy?"

Hermione mocked him with a laugh.

"..Granger huh? First time to hear you laugh with your nose,"

Draco sneered, "yes a spell which only comes of when someone touches me...no spell on you?"

"I'm not allowed to speak, no spell, maybe they thought I wont break the rule.

But that doesn't matter they wont hear me I guess... common let's go back."

Hermione tugged his arm lightly as she walked off.

"...Okay..." Malfoy followed.

Hermione found it a bit odd. They were like...peaceful than always.

Malfoy seldom or NEVER is this silent as they walked on,

Hermione still tugging his T-shirt sleeve.

'ODD' she thought.

"Can I suggest something?" Malfoy said suddenly as they walked through a group of people, not their group that is.

"What?" Hermione asked with a shiver.

She didn't think HIS suggestion will be 'safe' (you know)

Malfoy said nothing but pulled off her hand from his sleeve.

The air around them was getting ice cold.

"Oh that's it, he just doesn't want contact with me," Hermione thought.

But then, Malfoy slipped his hand into hers.

It almost made her jump up a foot high. His hand was slender and warm,

as if he had gripped his palm hard for a long time.

Holding hands like this surely won't be easier to get lost from each other like they did twice before, when they passed through groups of people and bumping into trees.

Hermione said nothing, but ---- 'odd' she thought again. The two safely got back to their group, Malfoy went back to his place obediently and Hermione started to count the people present in her group then.

"Two!" Harry said

"Three," Yuki replied as Hermione touched her shoulder.

"Five!" Jacob shouted, and so on.

This was how Hermione counted her team mates. She had told them previously that when she squeezed their arm, they should say their number so she could count the number of people that's absent (been caught).

"Three people lost..." Hermione mumbled to herself as she touched Natasha's arm.

When she got to the end of the line of people, she suddenly noticed Oliver was gone.

"Natasha, where's Oliver?" Hermione asked, worried.

"He's been gone for a long while ...I think he's lost or maybe not allowed to move," Natasha replied with a sigh, "He's been caught for the third time now."

"What shall we do?!" some girl standing beside Hermione whined.

"Maybe we should find him?"

"But what if we get lost?"

"What do you think, Hermione?" Natasha asked.

No reply.

"Hermione? Hermione!"

Hermione couldn't hear them anymore, at Natasha's reply, she had already unconsciously walked out of the group of people, in search for Oliver Wood. Darkness and darkness. Hermione could see nothing but occasional flash lights from the teacher's wands/torches/light. Where was Oliver?

"OLIVER!" Hermione shouted out loud. She couldn't hear the crowd anymore. Where was she? Where was she heading to? Where was her destination?

Oliver. Only Oliver. Hermione didn't know where she was walking to, trying to remember where she'd come from she trusted her instincts and moved on, shouting all the way.

"Oliver! Oliver Wood!" Hermione shouted desperately.

(Please reply, please! Oliver!)

"Oliv...!"

"Herm?" a warm hand grasped hers. "Oliver!" Hermione exclaimed with glee and grasped his hand.

"How did you found me?" Oliver asked with surprise.

"I don't know," Hermione laughed as a trickle of tear ran down her eyes. Of course Oliver didn't see it, but she was scared, really scared. What if she didn't find Oliver or she got lost?

She wiped the tear with her open hand. Hand-in-hand, the two of them walked back to where Hermione came from.

Oliver was smiling, but Hermione didn't know it. Well...Oliver didn't know that she was blushing too though.

"Hermione! Don't scare me like that! Disappearing suddenly!" Natasha said with delight, "Oh you got Oliver back! Great! We just got a couple of girls back too!"

"Then I'll have to count," Hermione thought and walked up and down the line of people once again. 20 people.

"There are still 2 missing!" Hermione groaned with disappointment.

"Then maybe we shall wait," Oliver said into her ear, which surprised her and made her blush.

"Yea...Yeah," Hermione replied as she stared to the floor. Well...not quite since her eyes were masked.

Hermione felt Oliver's arm on her shoulder.

She stood there, frozen.

(What is Oliver thinking!? There might be teachers around! I mean. THERE ARE teachers around!! )

Thoughts like these ran through her mind over and over again. But she had to admit she liked it like that. A flash light ran pass her eyes. (Uh-oh) But it didn't stop in front of her. Maybe the teachers didn't notice?

Oliver was massaging her shoulder with his hand on her shoulder. Hermione shivered and blushed even more. If she had seen her face, she would known that her face was as red as Ron's hair, and she was grinning.

"If only time would stop right now..." she thought and sighed.

A light flashed in front of her again, but something blocked the light. Hermione almost jumped with surprise. Then, a strong force pulled Oliver's arm off her. It was pulling him away.

"AGAIN?!" Oliver shouted. It had to be a teacher, someone was taking him away!

Hermione pulled at his arm not letting him go, but Oliver pulled his hand off her grasp and let whoever it was to take him away.

Hermione stood there, disappointed, yet a bit relieved. She was quite sure, that the shadow that blocked the torch light was Oliver's head. He was going to kiss her... 


	9. Is It Love

IX Is It Love?

Months had passed after the camp, there had more camps and the trio joined three more, Oliver was in none of those though.

Hermione worked harder and harder on her subjects, like always, she helped Harry and Ron on their homework... Well... Mostly Harry only because Parvati helps Ron. The new DADA teacher was of no good, so Hermione had to work on her own.

Harry worked harder and harder with his Quidditch team. Oliver made a really harsh schedule for them since the Slytherin team was always taking the grounds for their own. The Gryffindors had to wake up early for training when all the other teams are still sleeping. Sometimes, the sun's not even out yet when they are studying how to fly faster to compete with the Slytherin's Nimbus2001s. Ron, Parvati and Hermione occasionally came to see the training with cold mineral water bottles and cupcakes made by Hermione and Parvati. Hermione always saved the best chocolate cupcake for Oliver.

As for Ron, he and Parvati used almost all their spare time to play chess in the corner of the common room. Since their chess abilities were almost the same, there were always sparks flashing between the two of them as their chess pieces fought through, slamming each other down and dragging them away. Once, the atmosphere between them was so tense that Hermione and Harry were almost scared that they would do a 'real' fight, but they didn't. When Parvati won the game in the end, Ron just hugged her and said it was a good game with a dry but warm grin. Harry and Hermione heaved a sigh of relief together and rolled their eyes. Just like that, months passed by, Halloween passed and Christmas passed too. Hermione hadn't talked to Oliver for a long while, still she couldn't forget the way he held her in the camp...every night when she closed her eyes and fell asleep, she felt like he's still holding her close to him. And she'll blush when she recalled that he almost kissed her.

She'd only kissed him once, which was a long time ago, when Oliver asked her if she'll wait for him when he leaves for the O.W.L.S. To the truth, she didn't like it very much; it was a weird feeling to be kissed by Oliver. His kiss was soft and soppy. It wasn't that she didn't like wet kisses...just it wasn't the kind of kiss she expected to be her first kiss.

As the summer was speeding towards Hogwarts and exams was coming near, Hermione's birthday was coming close too. She wondered if Oliver remembered it. She had only told him once in last year's summer on the Hogwarts Express on the way home. She hoped he did.

"Birthday's on Monday," Hermione thought with glee as she picked up her parchment of finished report about laughing potions on Thursday morning, a few days before her birthday.

She pulled her Potions book off her bookcase too and opened the door of her dormitory to the stairs. Harry and Ron were waiting outside. Parvati ran out after Hermione.

"Ready, girls? It's the dreaded double Potions with S-n-a-p-e," Ron made a funny face.

"Not to mention Malfoy too..." Harry said grimly.

Parvati giggled, Hermione just smiled weakly. The thought of Malfoy made her feel angry. It was only a week ago he tried to catch her alone and kiss her AGAIN. Of course, she hexed him before he could do it.

They walked down to the Dungeon, Snape's classroom and opened the door to see hundreds of faces turning around to look at them. (Okay, I admit I exaggerated the '100') Feeling weird, they chose seats near each other and sat down. Hermione sat down beside Harry and a Gryffindor girl with long straight blond hair, Lavender Brown. Lavender seemed to flash eye-contacts at Hermione, she turned to whisper to a Slytherin girl who Hermione knew not name of, but knew as a friend of Lavender. They were glancing at Hermione time to time, so were some other classmates. Hermione felt extremely uncomfortable.

As the first period of Potions was coming to an end, Snape surprisingly gave everyone a break. At this moment, Lavender slid a small piece of paper to Hermione, who was doing some calculations. She stared at the pink paper and looked up at Lavender. Lavender just gave her a sad look and nodded her head. Harry made a curious expression on his face. Hermione flipped the paper open, slowly. Harry couldn't see its content, but could see on Hermione's shocked face it was not good news.

Hermione suddenly wanted to cry; holding back tears, she scribed something on the paper and handed it back to Lavender. Lavender read, "Are you sure" She looked up and nodded with a sad look. Hermione's eyes closed and she felt tears forming slowly in her eyes.

"My best friends in Slytherin and Ravenclaw saw it with their own eyes," Lavender spoke slowly, "actually...many people saw it too."

Hermione just couldn't think anymore, she buried her head into her arms and wept silently. Lavender stared at the sheet of paper and shaking her head, crushed it into a crump and threw it into a dustbin. On it, a sentence was written by Lavender's writing: "O.W. kissed Connie in public yesterday" Innocent Harry passed Hermione a pack of tissue, sitting silently beside her. Late that night, Hermione told Harry in her dormitory what Lavender had told her today. She didn't need to tell actually, she knew Harry had heard already. But she still wanted to say it out. She felt telling Harry her feelings could relax her stress forming inside her. Harry was always one of those who understood her well enough to see her tears.

"So... You haven't asked him if it's true or not yet," Harry said after a long silence.

"Yeah...haven't seen him anyway..." Hermione sighed.

"Erm...just curious but does he remember your birthday on Monday?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. I told him once last year. But I don't think he remembers..."

"Hmm...Maybe he does, maybe he just wants to surprise you," Harry started to try to cheer her up.

"No, he wouldn't. He never came up to me, it's always 'me' finding 'him'," Hermione hugged her legs and sobbed a bit. "But it's your birthday! You have to believe him you know? Remember? HAVE FAITH!" Harry said the words he had told her almost a year ago when Oliver left for the OWLS.

Hermione smiled weakly and looked into Harry's green eyes. And replied, "I hope I can after all this..."

Harry felt passion growing in him as he looked into her big round watery eyes; her brown pupils were shining sadly and Harry could almost feel her pain. But he kept silent, controlling himself, HE COULDN'T, HE MUSTN'T give her more troubles to think of. Not more than what she's enduring tonight.

Hermione wiped her eyes, the shine dulled a bit. Harry slowly crept near her, which Hermione didn't notice, and kissed her cheek gently. Hermione widen her eyes and stared at Harry.

"Uh-oh," he thought.

He stood up almost at once. Not looking at Hermione's face, he walked to the door.

Then he turned around slowly, "Goodnight, sweet dreams..." he said with a small smile, and left.

Hermione sat there looking blankly at the closed door and said under her breathe, "Goodnight..."

Closing the door behind him, Harry stood there for a while saying to himself with anger to himself, "What have I done!?"

What did that kiss mean?" Hermione wondered in confusion when she was preparing for bed after a good cry on her own.

Harry never kissed her. He might have hugged her when she cried and she also did hug him when she was in a dark mood or in celebrations like when Harry helped the Quidditch team to win. She even had kissed Harry's cheek in happiness before. But...but she felt there was something wrong with Harry tonight. Why would he suddenly kiss her anyway?

"Wait," Hermione thought to herself, "Hermione, you have to think about Oliver first. Maybe Harry just gave you a comforting friendly kiss on the cheek. Yes, it must be."

But what was she going to do with Oliver? She wanted to talk to him, but she was scared, really scared. What if the rumor was...true? Moreover, how would he react? She wanted to know, yet she felt that she wouldn't want to know it too...

MONDAY

"Happy Birthday!!!!!" Parvati beamed at Hermione as she handed with both hands a big soft present to her. Hermione didn't need to open it to know it was a doll. But what doll?

Thanking Parvati with delight, she sat down on the carpet and started to tear the package open.

"Wow! It's...Oh No! It's sooooooooo cute!!!!!" Hermione shouted with pure happiness as she hugged the snow-white teddy bear in her arms tightly. It was totally adorable; soft and cuddly. It was wearing a black T-shirt printed "Hapi 13th B-Day Herm!!!!" with rainbow colors and had a pair of sunglasses over its beady eyes, looking as punkish as Parvati was. Hermione was sure she'll hug this cute creature in her arms every night.

"Let's go down to find Ron and Harry!" Parvati shouted as she tugged at Hermione's arm. Hermione put down the teddy on her pillow and ran after Parvati. They bumped into Ron on the way down the stairs.

"Wow, hey!" Ron grinned as he handed Hermione her present, to Hermione's surprise, it was a book Hermione had never seen before. --- "The Wondrous P. and E. Life by Jam Merman"

"What's this about?" Hermione asked with confusion, "is this about Physical Education?"

NO!" Ron laughed, "It's a real story about your favorite magical living things, Pixies and Elves. It's about their lives and how they once fought each other, history and funny things and stuff, and..." Ron needed not say more. Hermione was hugging him happily and thanking him over and over again.

"Where did you get that book?" Parvati asked.

"I asked Charlie to buy it from his place...there's the largest book store in the world there and I asked him to buy me the best book about pixies and elves, so here it is." Ron replied with a grin as Hermione let go of him, a bit embarrassed.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked as they walked down the stairs to the common room. Harry was nowhere to be seen.

"Happy Birthday, Hermione,"

"You're thirteen at last, Hermione!"

"Hey Hermione, you're a teen like us!" Everyone in Gryffindor gave her their best blessings with a big smile.

Hermione felt great, yet she couldn't see Oliver anywhere. Did he know it was her birthday? Maybe he forgot...

"NO" Hermione told herself, "have faith, as Harry said so."

It was her birthday; she wanted it to be the best day of her year.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped as she saw her bosom friend leaning on the wall around the corner and smiling at her. "Hey..." Harry greeted her and gave her a warm hug. Hermione blushed, and tried to stop herself, why was she blushing? She was glad that Harry was hugging her and didn't see her red face. 'It must be because what Harry did that night. I'm just embarrassed.'

"This is for you," Harry said as he gave her a box with a friendly grin.

"Thanks so much," Hermione smiled happily and took the present, "what's it?"

"You'll see," Harry smiled.

She tore the sunflower-printed package carefully and revealed a cardboard box. Wondering what it was she opened it cautiously. To her surprise, it was a book again. But nothing was written in this one.

A beautiful sunflower was hand-embroidered on the cream-colored cloth wrapping the whole book cover. And a quote was sewed onto the cloth under the flower beautifully --- "Live life to its limit" and another one sewed clumsily in even smaller words, "Have faith with yourself"

Hermione started to giggle, unable to control herself. Parvati and Ron beside her frowned with confusion.

Harry frowned, confused than the other two, "It's a diary...so you can write your feelings down and express yourself more. You don't like it?"

"No...No I LOVE it, but...but..." she just giggled more. It was obvious that Harry sewed the last sentence on his own. She couldn't find any words to thank him, not even a 100 times of "Thanks" were enough to express how happy she was. Hugging all her friends in turn, she was overwhelmed; she had the best friends in the world.

When they finished lessons, Hermione walked to the library alone, she wanted to find some information about laugh potions before the next Potions lessons. When there she saw the person she'd least wanted to meet, apart from Malfoy, Connie.

Hermione ignored the flirtiest Gryffindor girl's sly stare and walked on. As they passed by, Connie whispered something in Hermione's ear.

Hermione stood there frozen, totally shocked. She couldn't help it, tears dropped down her cheeks. She wished she never decided to come to the library ever.

Connie's words rang in her ears over and over again, "He's a perfect kisser." Harry, Ron and Parvati noticed the change in Hermione. When she'd left them for the library, she was as happy as a new born butterfly; now that she was back, she looked as if a fly that'd just almost got drowned.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked carefully.

"...Nothing," Hermione replied bluntly.   
Oliver didn't do anything. Moreover, he didn't even appear that day. Hermione felt like the world had finally closed over her. Parvati tried to persuade Hermione to think about happy things with comforting words that she knew wouldn't help Hermione feel better at all. Harry and Ron didn't say a thing, they both just sat around her silently as they ate a dark and quiet dinner.

"Why don't you ask him? You want to know the truth, don't you?" Parvati asked as the two of them changed into their pajamas that night.

"Do I need to ask? The person who HE kissed told me HE kissed HER," Hermione said, her face red with fury.

"You still need to talk..." Parvati persuade her.

"I...I couldn't possibly do it! I'm. I'm scared out of my wits!!" Hermione blurted out, bursting into tears.

"Oh, come on! It's your BIRTHDAY!" Parvati cooed as she hugged Hermione and patted her head.

Hermione cried even more --- Oliver forgot her birthday.

"I don't want all this anymore, it's too frustrating. I tried to ignore all this, but it's not working. I couldn't think of anything but Oliver nowadays, my lessons are a mess! You should see my academic; it's dropping like the Merlin index!!" Hermione bawled.

Parvati didn't half understand the 'Merlin index', yet she knew what Hermione wanted to hear, or maybe the least wanted to hear, "Then break up with him."

"How...HOW?" Hermione exclaimed, suddenly sitting up straight and staring into Parvati's cat-eyes, "I couldn't face him and say 'let's break-up'!?"

Parvati was a bit surprised by Hermione's big round eyes, she gulped and continued, "Write a letter, send it to him by owl."

This time Hermione gulped, maybe what Parvati said was the least she wanted to hear, but this may be the best way to leave all these pain...and be free. Dear Oliver,

Once, I had pretended not to see, not to hear, not to think;

Once I had chosen not to care, not to mind, not to be jealous.

But this time I wouldn't be that stupid,

It's time we apart...

"I loved you" Herm.

She almost dropped tears into the letter, yet she wiped them off before they fell off her eyes. Oh how in the world she was going to face Oliver? She was scared to death about this whole incidence, she couldn't believe that SHE was actually writing a letter to say goodbye.

Parvati helped Hermione to send it by an old school owl; she knew Hermione couldn't stand to see the owl leaving with the letter for Oliver.

"Hey, Hermione!" Fred shouted,

"Morning Hermione!" George greeted.

"Morning, boys!" Hermione greeted them with a smile and walked passed them.

"Have you noticed?" George asked his partner.

"Notice what?" Fred asked back.

"Hermione. Hasn't she changed a bit recently?" George replied, a bit excited.

"Did she?" Fred asked back, confused. He looked up at her.

"She seems...bright? I thought I saw flowers floating around her." George continued with a grin.

"You're imagining things, aren't ya? Or are you falling for her?" Fred asked with a grin.

George frowned and waved his hand as if flapping away an annoying fly, saying, "Oh, shut up." "You okay, Hermione?" Ron asked with concern as they walked to Herbology classes.

"I'm perfectly fine, Ron," Hermione replied with a big smile, looking light- hearted than usual.

Then there was silence.

"I heard from Parvati," Ron said suddenly as they turned the corner.

Hermione almost came to a halt.

"Oh," Hermione said, and paused, "I see."

Then as if nothing happened, she walked on to the green-house, not looking at Ron's face.

Ron sighed and waved his head.

"Hey!" Parvati waved her hand at the both of them from a corner of the green-house. The two settled beside Parvati, Harry wasn't there yet.

"Jamie from Hufflepuff told me to give this to you," Parvati explained as she passed Hermione a CD-Rom.

"Oh, thanks," Hermione took the CD she'd lend to the Hufflepuff weeks ago. But that wasn't the only thing Parvati had for her.

"And this..." Parvati whispered, "Read it later."

Hermione took the piece of paper, wondering who it was from. After lessons, asking Parvati to accompany her, Hermione read the note in the library.

"Can you consider that it never happened?

And stay with me through the rain and storm?

I feel really sorry; please give me one more chance..."

There wasn't a name, but Hermione knew where it came from and who it was for. She shuddered as she recalled what Oliver once asked her, "...will you wait for me? These months...even I won't be here?"

"Does this mean he's admitted what happened?" Hermione asked awkwardly.

"Erm... Well, he DID admit he did something, but I don't know if he's talking about what you know coz you haven't talked with him," Parvati replied.

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"OH! I didn't mean he might be doing something else...Or did I?" Parvati asked herself rather than Hermione.

Hermione sighed.

"So? How are you going to sort this?"

"I dunno,"

"Do you want to stay with him?"

"..."

Can I? Do I want to? What if he did it again? Anyway I don't even know if he really knows what I'm talking about. Can I endure this pain again if it happens once more? Moreover, can I get over THIS pain I have NOW? The nest day, an owl flew down to Hermione with a note when they were having breakfast.

It said, "Can you at least tell me what you want to do?"

"Seems he's too nervous to talk to you directly, huh?" Seamus said from beside Hermione.

"DON'T READ!" Hermione said angrily, squashing the note into a crump, understanding that most of the Gryffindors knew what was happening between her and Oliver.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Oliver looking away and turned to his friends. Hermione knew then, she didn't want to leave him. Oliver stood up to leave; they walked out of the dining hall in a large pack. Hermione didn't dare to look back and stare at his back as he left, like always. She still wanted to know, "is it true you kissed Connie?"

She had to sort it out. She had to ask Oliver. One side of her heart was saying that it'll be stupid to ask; the other side told her she must ask or else she'll go mad. Harry, who was reading a book in the Common Room, looked up to see a Gryffindor girl with ruffled brown hair leaning on the door, heaving for breath.

"Ha...Harry, where's Oliver? Have you seen him?" Hermione managed to say. She had run all the way from the dining hall up the stairs to the Gryffindor's Common Room.

"Err; I thought he walked pass...you're going to ask him?" Harry asked slowly.

"Yes, oh,..." Hermione turned around with despair looking for Oliver and without a second glance at Harry, ran up to his dormitory. No one was in the room except Angelina waiting for Ray Whites.

"Where the hell is Oliver?" Hermione shouted into the room surprising Angelina.

"Where the hell is who?" Ray asked as he patted Hermione's head from behind her.

"Ray! Did you see...?" Hermione turned around and stopped when she saw him, behind Ray Whites.

Ray looked around to look at Oliver's dry smile. He turned back at Hermione to see her vacant expression. He knew what he should do.

"Angelina, let's go down to find something to eat," Ray suggested with a wink at Angelina.

Angelina just nodded and followed Ray down the stairs, leaving Oliver in the corridor and Hermione in the room, facing each other with uncomfortable faces. "Now what?" Hermione thought to herself.

Oliver walked into the room and closed the door behind him, it just made Hermione feel worse. Yet this was what she wanted ---- to talk with Oliver alone.

A long silence followed. Neither of them could find words to begin the conversation. Hermione felt the situation so awkward that she started to feel her legs shaking slightly, her head dizzy.

"Maybe we... sit down?" Oliver suggested with hesitation, which was the best thing he could say.

"Oh...yeah..." Hermione blurted out, knowing that she rushed too quickly to the bed where Oliver was sitting on. She sat down slowly beside him, not knowing what to do or say next.

Again, there was silence. This time, Hermione broke it.

"Did you know it was my birthday last week?" Hermione asked, trying to make some conversation. "Was it?" Oliver said bluntly. He didn't seem surprised.

Hermione paused for a while, confused with the way he acted and the words he was saying. Which was true? Is he lying? Did he really not know her birthday?

"Tell me, honestly, have you ever thought that you...love me?" Hermione asked with her best courage.

These words, these three little words...he never told her...

"Do you want me to tell you the truth or a lie?" Oliver asked her.

"I said, the truth," Hermione replied, getting a little bit impatient.

"Yeah, I did," Oliver answered. Hermione almost fainted when she saw there was a hint of a smile in his face. God, how could he seem so...IN- SERIOUS?

Hermione paused, then started to ask her question which she had organized in her mind for a long time, "I will now...tell you a story I've heard, something I want to know if it is true. Can you listen to it with an objective mind?"

Oliver nodded and leaned down, his ankles supported on his knees Hermione inhaled, exhaled and began, "On the Thursday before your birthday, you heard your friends say that they saw in a corridor that a boy and a girl...do you know what I want to say?"

Oliver nodded and replied, "Yeah."

"Is it true...?" Hermione knew this was the last question to ask. She had wanted to 'accuse' him (almost) of how wrong he was, but she knew she didn't need that. This was what she wanted to know most.

"Yeah," Oliver answered so bluntly that Hermione almost lost her balance from where she was sitting.

Oliver went silent for a second, then, SMILING, leaned over to Hermione's face and said, "Yeah, as you see now, I'm a playboy. I always go around to flirt with girls, and," he touched Hermione's lips slightly, sending shivers up Hermione's spine, "I kissed many girls, like you."

Hermione felt the world collapsing suddenly. Hermione inhaled, exhaled and began, "On the Thursday before your birthday, you heard your friends say that they saw in a corridor that a boy and a girl...do you know what I want to say?"

Oliver nodded and replied, "Yeah."

"Is it true...?" Hermione knew this was the last question to ask. She had wanted to 'accuse' him (almost) of how wrong he was, but she knew she didn't need that. This was what she wanted to know most.

"Yeah," Oliver answered so bluntly that Hermione almost lost her balance from where she was sitting.

Oliver went silent for a second, then, SMILING, leaned over to Hermione's face and said, "Yeah, as you see now, I'm a playboy. I always go around to flirt with girls, and," he touched Hermione's lips slightly, sending shivers up Hermione's spine, "I kissed many girls, like you."

Hermione felt the world collapsing suddenly.

Oliver still continued, smiling, or rather smirking, "Do you still want me then?"

The sky collapsed on her. Hermione couldn't think anymore, her mind wasn't working properly, it was freezing. A sharp pain tortured her heart; her toes went numb, not feeling the soft carpet under her sole. She suddenly felt that the man in front of her was a stranger, someone she never knew, someone she felt that she ... that she... HATED. Especially that smirk, she hated more than which that Malfoy possessed.

"Come on... don't cry..." Oliver said as he wiped her tears with his handkerchief. Hermione didn't care if he saw these tears anymore.

Do I still want you? How can you ask that? Don't you feel a least bit sorry? What did those notes meant then? Were those all lies or are these you're telling are all lies?? Are you playing me?

The though struck her, the thoughts fogging her mind fainted away. She saw what she knew she would say.

Holding her fist firmly, she said word by word clearly even through her tears, "If you think this is a game, then so be it."

She didn't see the change in his face.

"My friends are waiting for me," making up a lame lie, she stood up and started leave. She just didn't want to wail in front of him crying bitterly.

As she walked to the door, she looked around. 'One last look' She suddenly realize that the smile had disappeared from his face, a blank expression replacing it.

"Bye," Hermione said with a dry smile --- the best she could give.

Slamming the door behind her, she ran up to her room, tears trailing behind her.

Slamming her room door, she wailed and screamed crazily into her pillow, with Oliver's hollow eyes, the last impression she had on him, haunting her.

"Where am I?" Hermione thought, looking around.

It was dark now; there wasn't a glint of light. Suddenly, a flame started burning above her head. Hermione looked up and squinted, trying to make out what the light was. As her eyes adjusted to the new light, she saw it was a torch actually.

She wondered who turned it on; another torch lit-up a few meters ahead, then another, then another. Hermione realized it was the school hall and this was the hallway to the library.

"Herm," someone called behind her.

Hermione jumped with fright, turned around and saw Oliver standing there smiling at her like usual.

Hermione smiled at him and walked up the stairs to the Common Room with him. Walking side by side, Hermione wondered what he was thinking, she saw a smile locked on his lips, was he feeling as happy and magical as she was? She had the urge to hold his hand, yet she wondered again if he'd mind.

"What's the matter?" Oliver asked.

"Nothing," Hermione replied with a grin, her cheeks blushing slightly.

"You always say that," Oliver sighed.

"Do I?" Hermione asked, as if she was surprised.

She knew what he meant; this conversation was repeated many times in the past.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing"

It wasn't that Hermione HAD something to say and she wasn't telling, it was just because she was too shy to tell him she was happy.

"Tell me," Oliver said into her ear, sending the familiar shiver up her spine. Hermione really couldn't stand the way he spoke to her.

"Well..." Hermione said, but didn't continue. Instead, she reached her hand and held his, blushing even more.

Oliver seemed to be grinning, but then, "We shouldn't be doing this."

"Why not?" Hermione asked with disappointment.

"This place is too public," Oliver hissed. A few girls walked pass them looking suspicious. Hermione didn't notice there were people until then.

Hermione said nothing, she didn't want to let go...but Oliver pulled his hand out of hers.

Then he disappeared.

"Oliver? Oliver!"

He was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, a bed appeared in front of her. Oliver was sitting there like he was in his bedroom, looking down at his feet.

"Oliver?" Hermione asked with fear and confusion.

He looked up. Hermione couldn't believe her eyes. Those eyes, those eyes were so...hollow, so...sad. Hermione had never seen Oliver looking at her like that. They were blank, black, nothing. Was it pain? Was it shame? Was it...fear? No, she didn't know what made those eyes as hollow as the eyes she saw in front of her. She couldn't see anything in it. The sparkle she used to see in his eyes was gone.

Hermione woke up with tears trickling down her cheeks, it was just a dream. But those eyes...she knew those eyes were real ------ sad, and hollow.

"Hermione? You okay?" Parvati asked.

"What?" Hermione asked back. Wondering if Parvati had realized Hermione had swollen eyes. She had tried to cover it with Muggle make-up (something she thought she'd never use), maybe it didn't work.

"Err.." Parvati replied uneasily, "I saw you crying when you were asleep last night. And... you were screaming...for Oliver, in your dreams."

Hermione sighed. After they had their breakfast, she told Parvati what happened last night, with Harry and Ron listening along-side.

"..So I broke up with him," she finished, almost starting crying again.

She looked up and saw the expressions on their faces.

Parvati seemed extremely surprised at the news Oliver was grinning all through the talk. Her eyes were opened so wide that Hermione thought they were going to fall off her face.

Ron seemed to be steaming and was muttering curses under his breath. Parvati asked if he was angry as friend or as someone who loved Hermione with suspicious eyes.

Ron widened HIS eyes, "Of course as a good friend, Parvati! Do I need to tell you in front of everyone I love y..."

Parvati shut him up with her hands, giggling, "Just a joke."

Hermione smiled sadly as she watched the two. It was the same feeling she had when she watched Ray Whites and Angelina ---- admire to their relationship.

She turned at Harry, surprisingly he looked calm. Except that he was TOO calm. He was too silent, it wasn't like him.

"Harry?" Ron asked.

After a short gap of silence, Harry grunted.

Then the school bell rang, it was time for Potions. Hermione and Parvati stood up to go up to their dormitory to get their books.

"You're angry too, huh?" Ron asked after he saw the two girls walked up the stairs.

Harry just grunted again, feeling annoyed inside.

The east wind blew onto her face;

she closed her eyes slightly,

tasting the wind with her whole body.

The wind blew her brown bushy hair backwards,

The warm sunshine sprayed onto her,

It gave her warmth,

It gave her thoughts,

"Now maybe I could look on forward."

She smiled.

But if you look closely,

you'd see her eyes swollen for constant crying

late at night with endless sighing.

If you look closely,

you'd see the glitter in her charming eyes

Replaced by blankness and frozen ice.

If you look closely,

Look as close as you can,

deep into her heart,

you'd see...

A puzzle of her heart with pieces lost...

Here and there.

There's the broken-heart.

"Hey Harry," Hermione greeted him with a small smile as he walked over to where she was sitting at.

Harry stepped onto the grass, watching Hermione intently. He stopped a few inches away from her.

"What are you thinking of?" Harry asked; his eyes still on her.

"Many things. Many, many things... Like...how I first met him in Libran Alley, how he told me that I didn't need to mind I am a muggle-born, how we helped Neville to find his toad in the Hogwarts Express, how I first saw him play Quidditch, how I confessed, how he confessed, how he left for O.W.L.S., how I got jealous about him being friendly with Connie...there's so much...so much things in the past to recall..." Hermione said all in one go; her eyes wet with tears.

Harry sat beside her and just listened, like he always did. He felt uncomfortable, like Ron said, he was angry with Oliver. One reason was that Oliver hurt Hermione a lot. Second was that Oliver had lied to Hermione.

Oliver knew her birthday.

On the Saturday before her birthday, Harry had had a chance to talk to Oliver. Harry had told him Hermione's birthday, expecting Oliver to do something.

Yet he did nothing.

Harry didn't want to tell Hermione this. He knew it'd be more depressing than knowing Oliver forgot her birthday.

And there was one thing no one knew, Harry wasn't only angry. Seeing how depressed Hermione was BECAUSE OF OLIVER made Harry sad...very sad.

Yet he didn't know or didn't want to admit why.

Hermione smiled at Harry and, still crying, hugged him close.

Harry grunted, this time, in his heart.

Seeing her tears

I knew I shouldn't cry

Yet tears can't be controlled...

A tear rolled off my face,

I let it go,

And hoped it'll dry away

Before...

She let me go. 


	10. Forgive Or Forget

X Forgive? Or Forget?

Exams started almost instantly. Not like other excited classmates, Hermione felt relieved. At lease now she could have something else to think about, and forget the pain for a while.

"How was it?" Ron asked, frowning.

"AW!" Harry shouted and turned to look at who had pushed him accidentally.

"Sorry," Seamus shouted, then ran nervously down the stairs to the library. He had to prepare for the next exam - Herbology.

"Bad," Harry replied. They'd just finished History. Harry wondered if he'd written that there were constant werewolf pack's attack in Hogsmeade in 1908 or 1809..

"I was only good at the Quidditch history part," Ron sighed, "Others, blah!"

"Not I," Hermione muttered.

"HUH?" Ron gasped, "You're just telling me you're good at all of it, aren't you?"

"No, I was bad at all of it after the 10th question." Hermione grumbled and walked quickly heading for the library.

"But there were only 12 questions!!" Ron shouted after her.

"10th question," Parvati repeated.

"What?" Harry asked.

Parvati recalled the exam papers' content, and said, "It's just that...the 10th question was 'Who invented Quidditch and when was it invented? Please also write in paragraph form HOW was it invented.'"

"So?" Ron asked, still not getting the point.

Harry understood. Hermione must have got stuck at the word 'Quidditch'. It reminded her of Oliver. Hermione walked head down to the library. She wiped a trickle of tear off her cheek, and told herself she mustn't cry anymore. She must study hard and forget it.

Turning a corner without looking, she bumped into a guy a lot taller than she was. Hermione fell to the marble floor, her books flying everywhere. For a second, she thought it was Oliver.

"Oi! What do you think you're doing...Mudblood?" Malfoy gasped as he straightened his cloak.

"I know I'm a muggle-born, stop reminding me you call me a mudblood all the time!" Hermione screamed at him and tried to stand up. But tripped again and dropped to the floor. She felt like bursting into tears. And she did.

"Hey! What the...?" Malfoy was confused; he had always called her mudblood, why was she crying now?

He had a soft point on girls' tears. He leaned down to help her up, but then stopped at the point. Why should he help a mudblood or pity her?

"I don't know what you're crying about, but you know what I hate about you Granger?" Malfoy questioned boastfully over her head.

Hermione sniffed and looked up, tears slipping down her soft cheeks, "What."

"Is that you don't have proud for your kind, Mudblood," he said, his serious eyes locked on hers.

Hermione gapped her mouth, not knowing what to say. Malfoy sighed and walked away.

From behind her back, Hermione heard Malfoy said, "you have to respect it yourself to ask others to respect it too, Granger." Confused with what happened, Hermione started to think the meaning of Malfoy's words.

He was right; maybe she really hadn't respect muggles as much as she should. After all, she was a muggle-born and her parents were muggles. If she didn't want people like Malfoy to look down on her, then she'll have to respect her kind herself.

She'd had always felt sad that she was a muggle born, did Malfoy noticed this from the beginning? Maybe he did, that's why he hated her so much. Malfoy did pick on other muggle-born students too, but she was special. He ALWAYS picked on her.

Deep in her thoughts, Hermione turned another corner and came to another staircase. She stopped as she saw who was coming towards her -- Oliver and his friends. Ray elbowed Oliver, who seemed to be in a trance. Oliver came to his sense and looked up at Hermione, his eyes blinked.

Hermione tightened up her lips; she'd have to walk down the stairs anyhow. Feeling worse, she stepped down the stairs. Oliver stepped up the marble stairs too, yet his friends stood at where they were as if they were watching a show. Hermione looked up at him, he did the same. They both smiled weakly.

Hermione saw the blank eyes again. Unbearable, she thought bitterly as she looked away from his gaze. She sped down the stairs hoping to get to the library as quickly as she could.

"That's all?" Landon, Oliver's friend, asked disappointedly to no one in particular, behind her.

She felt hurt, not only because now that she couldn't even face Oliver like before, but also because she understood that everyone around her were only seeing this as a show.

They wanted drama; they wanted something exciting... like a fight, like a quarrel kicking up a terrific row. When had people around her become so black-hearted? Where had all the innocence and kindness disappeared to? This ain't any drama, it's for real. She tried to study, she tried to memorize the points she'd written out in her notebooks. But the words slipped out of her mind before she could stop them. Then suddenly, she saw the word "Olive" in the ingredients of laughing potions, she almost cried out.

"Herm?" Parvati asked with concern as she stepped over to Hermione's desk from hers.

"Oh, sorry Parvati, nothing," Hermione replied as she wiped a tear and buried her head into her notes and her books.

Parvati went back to her studies with a sigh.

"Why did this happen to me?" Hermione thought.

Oliver wasn't like that in the beginning; he was nice and honest, funny and a sports-fool. When did he change? Or was it a change? Was he like that since the beginning? Hermione had noticed things were wrong since Oliver came back from his O.W.L.S. Did he changed then?

She could still remember how frightened and anxious she was when she saw Oliver chatting away happily with Connie. She could still recall how she hated herself for not picking up the courage to walk over and pull Oliver away from her. But she couldn't act as bitchy as Connie could...

That night, Hermione rolled impatiently in her bed, not an angle felt comfortable enough for her. At last, she stopped lying sideways; the incident that day was seared in her mind. Oliver's eyes came into view once again, what was he thinking? Was he as sad as she was? Was he...lonely like she was?

She recalled Oliver walking with his friends dreamily, seemed to be thinking of something, yet also seemed to be thinking of nothing. A tear rolled off her cheeks again, when had she started to be this dependant? She wondered why those who fell in love felt so lonely, so sad. When our lovers left us or didn't accept our love, why do we feel so hollow? Why? We have families, and we have friends, why do we rive for this particular 'love' so much?

There was no answer to it, it was sad, but all Hermione could say to herself, was that she had no choice, because she loved him.

I never thought that saying 'I give up'

Would make me cry

I never thought that when I lost you

My heart would bring to a stop

Then I wailed and I cried

Losing all thoughts and all sights...

It turned out that giving up

Meant less than to continue

It turned out that leaving you

Meant less than to stay with you

Seeing you in front of me

I feel lost

But when I don't...

I feel an aching void in my heart...

"How's Hermione?" Ron asked as he stumped himself into the sofa.

"Worst, I've never seen her as depressed as this," Parvati sighed as she sat

down beside him and Harry.

"Yeah, even when she had a fight with you or lost contact with her pen friend,

OR been accused by Malfoy. At least she wouldn't have shut herself up there

and not tell me anything," Harry said to Ron.

"She didn't tell you anything?" Parvati gasped, raising her eyebrows.

They all knew that Harry was the closest to Hermione in the three.

"I tried to comfort her, and told her to let her feelings out...but all she did was

cry," Harry replied with a grunt. Well, it wasn't all true.

Harry had always opened his whole heart to let her tell him everything and

ease her pain. But this time, all he could do was to stay silent and hope she'd

stop crying. He didn't give any advice he could have gave her. He had been

selfish. He wished she wouldn't be sad, he wished she would forget Oliver,

which was true. But the reason wasn't because he wanted Hermione to

be happy. He didn't want her to be upset because of Oliver, BECAUSE OF

OLIVER. But how could he help it? He couldn't deny it anymore, he loved Hermione.

He wanted more than being best friends with her; he wanted to be the most

important person in her life. He... he wanted her to cry for him..

"Shut up, you selfish fool!" Harry thought, in the same time slipping the

words out of his lips, almost shouting.

Ron and Parvati jumped.

"What fool?" Ron asked with surprise.

"Oh!" Harry blushed at his mistake,

"nothing, sorry I was speaking to myself.?

Ron looked confused; he slumped back into the sofa and muttered nonsense.

Parvati grinned secretly, she knew. She was an acute observer, especially

when it came to relationship, she could read one's mind. Yet she was sorry

for Harry, she felt he was like her, the Parvati Patil a year ago, when Ron was

in love with Hermione. She wondered why Hermione can be so dull-witted in

love-relationship when she had such high grades in class. "Don't give in to him," Lavender warned Hermione.

Hermione gulped and turned to Parvati, "Parvati?"

"I agree," Parvati replied as she did stretch.

They were going to have exams on flying broomsticks. Boys were first, so

girls were waiting, doing stretch on the grass.

"You miss him already?" Lavender asked.

Hermione didn't nod.

Parvati's twin sister in Ravenclaw, Padma warned, "Just remember this; I

have too much experience..."

Lavender giggled.

"Stop it, Brown!" she shrieked, "Men are all the same; do NOT ever go back

to them. They will think you've forgiven them and wouldn't take the chance

you gave them. They'll just get WORSE. Find another or never find one.

They're all the same."

Hermione looked down, feeling worse. So that's it? There was no turning back.

She felt stupid of even thinking of taking back what she said to Oliver.

"Don't mind her; she's just broken up with her ex-bf. Not all men are the

same," Parvati comforted her. Padma grunted.

"Remember, you are innocent. HE is the dirty one," Lavender stated seriously,

"don't get too hard on you're self." Exams finished, the summer was coming rapidly. All the students were

shouting with joy, the holidays were speeding through. Even Hermione was

glad; at least she can stay away from the school and leave all things which

might recall her memories with Oliver, which represented the whole school

building and land beyond.

She had noticed how little she had been with Oliver, she hadn't talked to him

much since the new school year had started. Yet those corners, those rooms,

those sofas, and those grasslands...places where she had only seen or

maybe even talked to him made her remember a lot of the happy times, and

the sad ones too. Getting on the Hogwarts Express was the hardest thing for her, she had to sit in a cabinet for

a whole trip, a cabinet identical to the one

she had been hugged by Oliver for the first time two years ago when she

first came to Hogwarts.

'For God's sakes, you haven't even really started with him,' Hermione shook

her head and sat down in a cabinet on her own. Harry, Ron and Parvati were

still on the platform saying goodbye to Hagrid.

'Did we start ever?' Good question, 'Sure, we kissed. THAT may be a sign of

being lovers. But did we really spare time for each other? Oh yeah.'

She tried, she swears she tried. She used many of her time to watch him playing

Quidditch and training his team members. But did he ever spend his time on

her? She knew the answer. Did be really care her existence? Sometimes,

when he had his time and remembers her. Was he truthful to her? Hermione

sighed, "Huh."

Fed up, she was really fed up with him. Maybe Padma was right --- 'men are all

the same.' It better'd be, or Hermione would think of turning back again.

Her three friends came in; Hermione sorted out her feelings and decided to

think less about Oliver. She still had a long life beyond. Even if Padma was wrong,

Oliver wasn't the only guy around.   
"How's home?" George Granger asked his brown-haired daughter with a warm smile. The two of them walked into a green-roofed house on 1320 Greens? Road in Haden City - their 'home sweet home'.

"It's great, dad," Hermione replied with a big hug for her dad.

"Hermione Granger!!" Mrs. Granger shouted out with joy as she embraced her daughter.

Hermione sighed with a big smile.

She was so relieved to be home at last. She didn't need to be afraid she might meet Oliver or his friends at home. Only just now, she found out that Oliver's friend, Davis Landon lived around the corner - he was half-muggle. She was sure she wouldn't meet Oliver though; he lived in another world, the magical world.

Then she imaged her slapping herself, "Stupid girl! There's nothing to be afraid! You did nothing wrong, for conscience's sake!"

"Let's go out and do some shopping, or do you want to stay at home and watch some TV?" Mrs. Granger asked, pulling Hermione back to reality.

Hermione thought for a while, the thought of meeting Oliver came into mind again, but then, she remembered her slap.

"Let's go shopping!" Hermione suggested with glee.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger smiled. They got their only daughter back for summer at last.

"Mom, I want to see the book store!" Hermione wined.

"Wait, I want to see if THIS blouse is cheaper or not first..." Mrs. Granger replied, picking up a violet silk-made blouse. She was already holding an armful of clothes.

"Grr... Mom! I can't wait; I will be at W.B.W., so see you later!" Hermione shouted behind her back as she ran out of the shop before her mom can stop her.

Hermione walked into Willy's Book Worm's Store and stopped at a bookcase full of books about magic. She pulled out a book, 'Myths about Witches by Melinda Holly' and started reading. It was written by a witch, a real one. Hermione knew normal muggles didn't know this, she felt funny she'd know the truth.

"Well, well, Granger!" someone whispered from behind.

Hermione jumped. She turned around with fright and almost choked.

"Malfoy!!!" she gasped.

"What? Who'd you expect? Woodstock?" Malfoy sneered.

Hermione went chalk-white. She knew who Malfoy meant - Oliver Wood.

"Oh, so you did expect," Malfoy smirked.

"No I didn't. No one but you call me 'Granger'," Hermione tried to collect herself.

"So, you live near this place?" Malfoy changed topic.

"None of your business," Hermione spat back, not in a good mood.

Her mind was trying to work out why she seemed to hope that it WAS Oliver. She felt like slapping herself again.

"I didn't know that you can be a shrew," Malfoy said calmly.

"'Shrew'? What's that?" Hermione asked with confusion "None of your business," Malfoy spat with a smirk.

"..Anyway, what are you doing here? This is the 'muggle-world', somewhere I thought that you'd never want to come." Hermione questioned. It was very questionable why HE was there.

Malfoy went silent for a second, and then he replied, "I needed to do something, NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, MUDBLOOD."

Hermione went red this time, she almost slapped him, but she just said calmly, "NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, MALFOY."

Malfoy snorted a laugh and stalked away. Hermione thought she heard him say, "You're improving, Granger."

A few days later, Harry called her around 7pm.

"Hey, Hermione," Harry's cheerful voice came from the other side of the phone.

"Harry! How did you get to...?" Hermione gasped into the phone speaker.

"They went out for dinner; they didn't want me with them because they're going to eat with THE BOSS. They didn't lock me up since I didn't cause them any trouble these few days. They locked the fridge to starve me tonight and also locked Hedwig and my trunk under the staircase, but they forgot to lock the phone," Harry said all in one breathe, as if he thought that his Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia would come back suddenly for a coat or the car keys.

Hermione could almost see him grinning ear to ear. After all, this was the first time Harry could really speak on the phone.

"Poor Hedwig," Hermione sighed into the speaker.

"I'll get him out tomorrow by bargaining for more chores from Aunt Petunia," Harry said confidently.

Hermione giggled. They talked for almost an hour when Harry asked her a question that shocked her.

"How are you now? Still... thinking about him?"

Hermione didn't speak for a while. Harry let her.

After what seemed like eternity to Harry, Hermione said at last, "I don't know, Harry. I don't know."

Although he expected that Hermione wouldn't have recovered so easily and he knew how much she suffered, this time, Harry was shocked.

"I don't know, Harry... I want to forget him and start a brand new life, but sometimes, I don't feel like falling in love ever again. It hurts so much. I couldn't bear another pain," Hermione whispered slowly, "I think that...maybe I don't need these 'love' things in my life anymore."

Harry gulped. They were silent for a while. Hermione felt that the atmosphere was very uncomfortable. She started to say something when Harry spoke first.

"I just want to tell you that... There isn't only one guy in the world. And not all guys are the same. Don't get yourself hanged on a guy that you couldn't trust. There are guys out there waiting for you," Harry said so quickly that he almost didn't realize what he was saying.

"Like who?" Hermione asked, only trying to challenge Harry's point of view. She didn't really want to know. Anyway, she thought that Harry was just trying to comfort her.

The sound of a vehicle creaking to a stop was heard from the other side of the phone. The Dursley family was back.

Harry, not really thinking what he was doing, spilled the word out as he started to hang the phone, "me."

"Cling! Toot, toot, toot..." the phone went dead. Hermione dropped the phone; she couldn't believe what she just heard.

"Help! Help! Heeeeelp!!!" the blonde-haired girls screamed with fear.

Lava was sprouting out of a large hole in the pavement, a volcano erupted 50 m away. The girl ran with fright, helping her injured dad up and heaving him away. The lava was coming for them with high speed. Sweat was rolling off her forehead; her dad fell onto the pavement, unconscious...

Hermione was so into the scene that she almost didn't hear the phone rang.

Mrs. Granger stood up to take the phone. Hermione didn't look up, her eyes glued on the TV screen.

"Yes...Yes...she's here, wait a moment please," Mrs. Granger said.

She picked up the cordless phone and handed it to Hermione.

"It's yours, honey," Mrs. Granger said, looking confused and suspicious.

Hermione was still glued on the screen, "thanks," she said bluntly and took the phone.

"Hello?" she said, not really concentrating on the phone.

"..." the person on the phone said.

The television just smashed a big piece of rock right beside the heroine, blocking out all other sounds.

"Huh? Hello?" Hermione said into the phone, starting to wonder who it was. It was 11:30 p.m. already, and no one ever called her THIS late.

She covered her other ear with her hand and glued her left ear onto the phone. It was a man's voice, but she couldn't recognize it. Though, it was familiar...

"...Are you still angry with me?" a husky voice asked her through the phone.

Hermione's mind cut out the sounds of the television all most at once. She stopped every motion, only one thought raced through her mind; she knew who it was at last. "Err...No. No, I..." Hermione blurted out.

She stood up to go to her room in panic. The living room was too noisy. Mrs. Weasly looked up with surprise. George Weasly was pinned on the TV screen.

This was the first time Oliver ever called her. What more, she didn't even know he knew how to use a telephone.

She was too surprised that when she'd noticed what she just said she was surprised by herself. She wasn't even sure if she was angry or not anymore.

Hermione closed the door behind her back and just stood there, listening the inhale and exhale of Oliver's breath. She needed to clam herself.

"Herm?" the voice said on the other side of the phone.

"Huh? ...Yes?" Hermione replied. HOW COULD SHE KEEP CALM?? She had to admit that she was actually glad that he called. Maybe, she thought, she was even relieved. She couldn't believe the difference of what she was saying and thinking deep inside her heart was so big. She was angry, but more than that...she missed him.

The two of them talked about many out-topic things for a while. Until Oliver decided to ask his question, Hermione was still in a trance of confusion and dream.

"I 'eard that someone's asking you out? Is that true?" Oliver asked.

Hermione thought she heard him snort.

"HUH?" she exclaimed. Was he talking about Harry??? How'd he know?

"How'd you know...?" Hermione asked with confusion. It was one phone call between her and Harry only. How could he know?

"So it's true?" Oliver asked again.

"You tell me how you knew first," she said determinedly.

"Tell me his name," Oliver said in the same tone.

"You answer me first," Hermione continued.

"Okay... He told me."

"He?"

"Harry Potter himself." Hermione dropped her jaw a bit.

"WHAT?? Harry??????" she exclaimed.

"So...it's true? Are you gonna date out with him?" Oliver asked.

Hermione went silent for a while. When Harry confessed to her a few nights ago, she was confused. She recalled many scenes with Harry being by her side all the time and doing his best to comfort her when she was down. She thanked him with all her heart; he was the closest person to her in her school life. But there was some difference how she felt about him with Oliver. Harry was a bosom friend to her. A bosom friend is different from a boyfriend. You don't have quickened heartbeat when you're with your bosom friend. There wouldn't be bliss between you and your bosom friend. Not even when Harry confessed to her, had she got a quick heartbeat.

She had thought that she could consider being with Harry. After all he was a guy too. He cared about her and she cared about Harry. She knew that. She knew they'd be comfortable with each other. But STILL... She couldn't even imagine being with him as boyfriends and girlfriends. She liked the way they were now, and didn't want to further the relationship.

"Hello?" Oliver said, waking Hermione from her trance.

"Oh...No...I don't think I will," Hermione said at last.

"But you like him?" Oliver asked. "Yes, I do," determined with her answer, "he's a friend. He's my best friend," Hermione replied, mostly assuring her than Oliver.

Oliver seemed unsatisfied with the answer. He was going to ask something when Hermione heard someone thumping him with a pillow or something soft and laughing. She heard many men's voice.

"Hey! Stop that! I'm going to Ray's room," Oliver said to that person.

"You're with your friends?" Hermione asked when she heard a door closing and everything went silent.

"Yeah, I'm at my friend's house. They're annoying," Oliver said with a laugh. It was the first laugh in the whole phone talk.

"So... how about me?" Oliver asked.

Hermione gulped at that question, "you?"

"How do you think about me?" he asked.

Was he asking to...?

"I...err..." Hermione went silent. She didn't know what to say.

Should she? Should she go back to him? Should she?

She recalled the words Padma Patil said a month ago, "Men are all the same; do NOT ever go back to them. They will think you've forgiven them and wouldn't take the chance you gave them. They'll just get WORSE."

So should she? She missed him, but if she made up with him, would things change between them? Would he change? 'Should I forgive him?'

"Herm..." Oliver said, asking for an answer. Hermione never had heard Oliver talking in such a pleading tone.

"I'll...give you a reply a week later... You call me then," Hermione said at last.

One week. Is that enough for her to think? Oliver hanged the phone a few seconds later. To his surprise, five heads were poking out of the door chink.

"How was it?" Davis Landon asked.

"Well...she told me to call her a week later..." Oliver replied.

"Then you got her," Landon said with a grin.

"Who knows...?" Oliver muttered as he lay down on Ray's bed and rolled away from his friends to the wall. He slipped his fingers through his gelled brown hair, looking frustrated.

Davis closed the door and beckoned his four other friends to come with him to the living room, where Ray was sitting there playing his guitar gently. "That girl Olli's chasing for?" Davis started saying.

"You mean Granger, Hermione?" a guy asked.

"Yeah, she's soooo god damn innocent. She'd never know the real reason why Oliver wants her back," Davis smirked.

"Yeah? What's it then?" Ray asked, his voice seeming annoyed. He didn't like Davis very much for the fact he's a player of love.

"How would you feel when a girl, who is FOUR years younger than you, dumped you? Huh?" Davis asked with a proud snort.

"Is that it? I thought he was really in love with her," Ray asked.

"Are you forgetting something? He kissed Connie, remember? Oliver likes various girls as much as I do," Davis said with surprise.

"I thought you didn't know yourself," Ray said calmly as he stroked his guitar.

Davis stood up furiously, almost hitting Ray with his fist. Two of his friends stopped him. Ray was still calm, playing a tune with his fingers.

Ray put down his guitar and thought for a while before speaking, "You don't know Oliver. No one does. Most of us here knew him for six years now, but we don't really KNOW him. He's being a playboy here, then a nice noble gentleman there. There's something going on inside him we never knew, and might never know. He never tells anyone his real feelings. I've been with him since we were babies, but I don't understand him. He's closing himself up and we all know it. Of course he might be playing, but you couldn't say no to the statement that he could be serious about Hermione. So, don't be a know-it-all."

Davis had nothing to say to that. Ray was right. Oliver was closing himself up even more than before.

"Hey, Hermione!" Parvati shouted through the crowd and waved her hand at her friend.

Hermione smiled at her and walked over.

"Where're we going today?" Parvati asked excitedly.

"To the cinema first. I'm going to show you the most amazing movie!" Hermione said with glee. They came to the ticket office and Hermione let Parvati choose the seats.

"I always wanted to try and sit at the front row! Heeheehee. Can we?" Parvati pleaded.

"Sure, I've never sat that near the screen too," Hermione replied, not knowing that they'll come out of the cinema all dizzy two hours later.

"Phew! I'll never sit in the front again!" Parvati exclaimed with a laugh after the movie.

They stopped to rest their dizzy heads at a cafe and discussed the movie.

When they've calmed down and the atmosphere went silent for a moment, Parvati asked, "So...what's on your mind?"

Hermione looked surprised; she looked up at Parvati and wondered why Parvati would notice that she wanted to talk.

"Com'on, I'm prepared to listen," Parvati said with a smile.

Hermione let out a sigh, and started to tell Parvati about the two phone calls she got from the two boys. Parvati didn't look surprised when Hermione told her about Harry. But she was very astonished at Oliver's phone call.

I never thought that he'd call you..." Parvati said when Hermione finished.

"Me too..." Hermione agreed, recalling the moment she got the call.

She could still remember her mom, after the call, asking her why she stopped watching the film she'd been excited about the climax and talked on the phone for an hour long.

"So...What are you going to do?" Parvati asked.

A lady wearing nice robes sat down at the table beside them with a tray of chestnut cupcakes. She looked at Hermione and Parvati with a greeting smile. The two girls returned it. Hermione looked back at Parvati when the lady sat down.

"About Harry, I think I couldn't see him as a guy...I mean, I realize he's a guy. But still..." Hermione seemed lost for words.

"I think I understand," Parvati commented as she nodded constantly, "and Oliver?"

"That's the problem...I dunno if I hate him or not anymore..."

"You hated him?" Parvati asked, sounding surprised.

"Erm...for a while," Hermione mumbled.

"So, do you still love him?" Parvati questioned with concern.

"..." Hermione couldn't answer, frightened for what she'll say.

"Forget the question you think its right or not to do so. But do you want to be back with him?" Parvati steered Hermione to the core of the problem.

Hermione didn't answer. Parvati picked up her cup of coffee and cupped it in her hands, sipping the warm cappuccino silently, giving Hermione space and time.

They were silent for a while. Parvati almost thought that Hermione didn't want to say anything, so she looked out of the cafe window and pretended to think of other things.

When the lady beside them finished her cup cakes, Parvati heard her friend sitting in front her said in a whisper, "I want him...yet I'm scared...but...I really, really miss him..."

Hermione rolled into her bed that night, thinking what Parvati told her.

"I agreed that Lavender and Padma were right about not going back to men who are proud and self-centered because most of them wouldn't change. But that's an overall opinion of men out there. If you trust him, if you WANT to trust him...you can decide to give him a second chance. Or, forget him and go on with your life. Anyway...I'll support you whatever your decision is. Just remember that."

Hermione smiled a bit, she was glad Parvati was there for her. Maybe what Parvati said was what she most wanted to hear. She knew she had to be strong and make her decisions herself, but she was scared...she still needed advices. Now...maybe she had already decided.

I don't wanna feel

The way that I do

I just wanna be

Right here with you

I don't wanna see

See us apart

I just wanna say it straight from my heart

I miss you...

A week later, Hermione walked into Diagon Alley and bumped into someone with long flaring red hair, Ginny.

"Ginny!!" Hermione gasped with surprise. The youngest daughter of the Weasly's looked up at her with round blue eyes.

"Hi, Hermione," Ginny greeted with a shy smile, "You're here to buy things for school?"

"Yeah...but I'm not staying until the 31st of August...Ron and Harry are here too, right?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, they're at the Coffee Shop... I think I saw them there," Ginny replied.

"Ok, thanks. I'll find them," Hermione thanked her and was about to leave, when...

"Hermione...?" Ginny stopped her.

Hermione stood there and turned around with a questioning look.

"I saw both...Harry and Ron deep in conversation. Do you know why?" Ginny asked, stuttering at Harry's name.

Hermione's eyelashes flicked.

"It was weird; you know...Har...ry..." she stuttered at Harry's name again, "he looked depressed when he came to the Burrow yesterday. I don't think it was because of his uncle's family though..."

"Do you know anything? My mom was asking," she added quickly afterwards.

Hermione thought she knew, but she didn't know how to tell Ginny. So, she just said no and bided her goodbye. Hermione walked to the familiar Coffee Shop where she first had a chat with Oliver and knew his name, two years ago.

Oliver called her a week later after his first call. Hermione took the phone before it rang; she wondered how she had known Oliver would call that instant. She just knew. They didn't get to the topic at all that night, mumbling through this and that but not really saying what they wanted to.

Hermione felt comfortable with that during the call, she noticed she could frankly talk about anything (else) with him suddenly. The two of them talked about things that they never talked about before: their favorite food, their favorite color, their dreams and family, etc. They even talked about their feelings when they first met. She recalled Oliver's words, "You were so shy, and you always blushed." Hermione blushed at the thought.

But when she hanged the phone at last, not able to really say straightly that she wanted to be back with him, she felt unsatisfied with herself. She still couldn't communicate with him normally, still couldn't say the real feelings. 'Why can't I just say yes? Why doesn't he just ask?'

There was one thing she was glad though, Oliver was opening up slightly to her. Although, once again, they both hadn't told each other the three little words, Hermione felt a lot secure than before already. She hoped they could maintain this relationship and maturate it even more.

She sighed as she looked up. The dazzling sunlight shining over the rooftop made the cafe fuming with a welcoming smell of coffee looked magical.

"Everything is magical here," she said to herself as she went to the glass door and pulled it open.

She saw Harry and Ron sitting right in the middle of the coffee shop. Ron, who was facing her, looked startled. He pointed at her and Harry turned around with surprise.

Hermione walked over with slight embarrassment. Ron was shooting looks at her and Harry continuously; Harry was looking at her without even blinking.

Ron pulled a seat for her as the trio greeted each other awkwardly.

"Is Parvati here?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, at the salon with Lavender," Ron answered, rolling his eyes.

Hermione giggled. Harry kept silent, stopped staring at Hermione and looked down at his glass of lemonade. He picked it up, and drank it.

Hermione felt a bit uncomfortable. She felt it wasn't time to tell Harry about Oliver. Before that, she had to give a reply to Harry's feelings. She looked down under the table and saw Harry's legs shaking a little. She widened her eyes, which Harry noticed. He looked down too and saw his legs shaking even more. He reflectively jumped up, and accidentally banged his legs under the table, making all the things on the table shake. Hermione and Ron backed away from the table quickly.

Ron was too late.

"AAaaaA!!" he shouted. His lemonade had spilled over his new T-shirt. He tried to wipe it off quickly but it just got worse.

"Oh no! I'm really sorry! Ron, I..." Harry panicked, pulling out his wand.

"No, Harry, school hasn't started yet!" Hermione stopped him before he broke the Ministry of Magic's rules.

A waitress came to them and said, "Its okay, we'll clean it up for you."

She flipped her wand and said something under her breath. A cloth flown out of nowhere and started wiping the table, an invisible hand picked up the glasses of lemonade and brought them into the kitchen. A few more towels and buckets appeared, cleaning the marble floor.

Then she said another spell and the stain on Ron's cloth disappeared. Yet, his T-shirt was still half drenched.

"You better dry it in our lavatory," she suggested, leading him into the corner of the shop. Another waitress brought new glasses of lemonade to them when Harry was going to ask if Hermione would consider him, before he lost his nerves.

"Hermione, I..." he started.

"Harry..." Hermione said in the same time.

Both stopped in mid-sentence.

"You first," Harry sighed, slumping back into his chair. Again, his legs started to shake with frustration.

"Harry, I want you to know that...you're my best friend. You always understood me more than anyone else and you always stayed with me through rain and storm...I hope I did the same for you too, but..." Hermione got stuck; she didn't know how to say it. She could see Harry was listening with confusion.

"But?" Harry asked, somehow knowing what's next.

"..I'm sorry, Harry. I couldn't say yes to you," Hermione said at last, then gulping in air to control her sentiment.

Harry was silent. He looked into her eyes, desperately searching for a speck of lie in her words.

Hermione, though trembling a bit, looked into his eyes honestly. Harry saw no lie, but only a glint of sadness in her eyes. He could clearly see his best friend, the one he loved, was being frank and honest to him. She wasn't lying, she wasn't avoiding his feelings, and she was telling him her feelings face to face and clearly, hoping that they can be friends from now on. Harry looked away from her eyes. It was unbearable.

Something collapsed inside him; something was withering and falling down into the pit of his stomach. He felt like throwing up.

Harry didn't say a word; he just nodded and still avoided Hermione's eyes. His lips were stiff and his mind was in turmoil. He picked up the check and stood up.

He turned away from Hermione, saying behind his back, "See you at school."

Hermione watched him step out of the coffee shop. Biting her lower lip, she stared at the same direction for a while, not looking at anything actually. Ron didn't come back, she didn't care. Probably he got out of the back door to find Parvati. Rubbing her bushy hair with frustration, she sighed and thought about things alone.

When the sum began to set, and much of the customers she had came in with, had been replaced by new ones, she stood up to leave. The glasses of lemonade lay on the table, untouched. Posted: 2003-02-22 03:23:17.0 24929275 


	11. The Three Elements

XI The Three Elements

"You go first," Parvati said.

"Okay," Hermione agreed as she grasped her trolley's handle firmly and pushed it, accelerating as she ran towards the wall between Platform 9 and 10 at King's Cross.

She was almost going to run through the wall when she noticed an old woman eyeing her suspiciously -- clearly a muggle lady. In panic, she braked and halted. Parvati almost ran her trolley into Hermione's back.

"Why'd you stop, Hermione?" Parvati gasped as she thought how fortunate she was not to drop her newly bought owl, oak-colored Fizz's cage, off her luggage when she turned to a brake.

"I couldn't risk a muggle staring at us as we run through the wall!" Hermione hissed. The old lady walked away when she saw Hermione eyeing her back.

"Aren't this Hermione Granger and Parvati Patil blocking the way?" someone said behind them.

They turned around to see a mob of red-heads staring at them, one of the twins standing in the front. They greeted the Weasly's. Mr. Weasly asked them why they were standing in front of the wall, which Parvati explained.

"Hello Fred," Hermione greeted the red-headed boy in front of her.

"How'd you know it's me, not George?" Fred gasped in an over-reacting way.

"I dunno...sixth sense?" Hermione laughed.

Fred grinned widely and offered her a pop candy for distinguishing him, which Hermione refused with a smirk. She was very sure it was another 'trick treats' of his.

"We'd better go now, Hermione dear? Won't you go first," Mrs. Granger offered with a kind smile.

Hermione nodded and grasping her trolley firmly again, she ran towards the wall. This time, she successfully ran through it. As she ran out of the wall, the sunbeam showered her, blinding her eyes slightly. Hermione didn't see what was in front of her and bumped into something hard that she flew backwards, banging her back into Fred, who ran out of the wall after her, 's trolley.

"Well, well, mudblood," Malfoy said coldly, "it seems like we're always bumping into each other."

It was Malfoy's trolley which she bumped hers into.

Hermione didn't reply. She picked up her luggage which was spreading all over the cemented-floor quietly. Fred asked if she was okay and picked her things up for her. In the same time, getting hers and his trolley out of the way since more Weasly children ran out of the wall with Parvati behind them.

"Nice to see so many Weasels. Seems like your parents could save more money and give less food to you poor worms during school huh?," Malfoy smirked, and stopped insulting when Mr. Weasly walked out of the wall with Mrs. Weasly.

"Let me hit him," Ron gritted his teeth. George and Fred were ready to fight, pulling their wands out.

"No! Ron," Parvati stopped him. Percy tugged at his two twin brothers and stopped them too.

Malfoy just laughed and walked away, clambered into Hogwarts Express.

Fred was going to advance when his mother stopped him firmly, "he's just a poor child having taught by his wicked father to be evil-minded. Don't fight for stupid reasons, will you?"

"Does that mean we can fight for wise reasons, mom?" George asked, looking innocent.

Mrs. Weasly slapped her son's face for the first time. The Weasly family, Parvati and Hermione clambered into the Hogwarts Express one by one.

As George and Fred went to find Lee Jordan, with Ginny following behind them to find her friends, Ron offered to help Parvati and Hermione store their luggage in the luggage cabinet.

"I'm thirsty, I think I'll go and get something. You want something?" Parvati asked Hermione.

"No thanks, I'm okay," Hermione replied with a smile and left to search for an empty cabinet.

"Harry," Hermione said as she looked at the jet-black-haired boy who was staring out of the window, down at the Hogwarts students who are streaming to the train.

Harry, sitting comfortably on a seat with a small pile of snacks piled up beside him, turned around, his black-trimmed glasses twinkled as he did so.

"Hey," Harry greeted bluntly, and then turning back to the window.

Hermione, feeling embarrassed slightly, took off her jacket and sat down diagonally opposite to him, hoping that Parvati would come to her faster, before she faint out of anxiousness. The silence seemed to her like eternity. The first person to poke his or her head into the cabinet wasn't Parvati, it was Ron.

"Hey! I've been searching for you guys all over the train!!" Ron said cheerfully, sitting down beside Harry without noticing the awkward atmosphere between his two friends.

He started talking excitedly about how he hexed Malfoy who insulted him again, on the train. In the same time, Parvati, walked in with four cans of drinks, (She bought drinks for Hermione too, after all) making a bustling atmosphere. Hermione sighed, feeling easier with Ron and Parvati around. Being alone with Harry made her extraordinarily nervous.

The rest of the journey was passed quietly. Ron and Parvati played a few rounds chess, while Hermione read A History: Hogwarts and tried a few spells they'll learn this year, occasionally taking a glance at Harry to see what he was doing. Ron and Parvati tried to convince Harry into playing with them, but he just shook his head with a smile and looked out of the window again, musing all through the trip.

As Hogwarts Express pulled to a stop, and all the students ran towards the train doors to get off as soon as possible, Hermione looked up at the giant holding a shining lantern at the head of Hogwarts Express, Rubius Hagrid. At his signal, the train doors opened. Students stormed out, first years followed Hagrid's directions; while other junior students ran for the carriages to get a comfortable seat with seniors calmly following at their heels.

The glamorous building of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry stood before Hermione, sparkling lights coming from the standing glass of the school building sprinkled down on the mob of excited students.

Heaving a relieved sigh, she stepped out of the train towards the carriages with her friends. Hogwarts was like a second home to her, coming back to school seemed like returning home. She heard someone else sighing beside her, it was Harry, who was relieved to leave the Dursley famliy and come back to his 'real' home. They both stared at each other for a second.

Hermione smiled and said with her voice slightly shaking, "Welcome home, Harry."

Inside, Harry's stomach was churning. He was feeling awkward and embarrassed in the same time. All through the trip, Harry was thinking how to face Hermione normally. He had even forgotten how he had contacted with Hermione before his confession that it was hard to act 'normal'. But when he realized that Hermione was feeling the same way that very moment, he smiled.

"Yeah, you too," he answered, and squeezed Hermione's arm gently.

Hermione winched a bit, but just ignored the strange feeling inside. Maybe they didn't need to 'act' normal, the way they were acting then was 'normal' enough.

"That was the best DADA class we've ever had, wasn't it?" Ron exclaimed as they walked out of the staffs' room, making their way to the dining hall for lunch.

Parvati nodded approvingly and joked about the Boggart that changed into Snape with Neville's granny's dress and hat on.

"If ONLY I had a turn..." Hermione sighed. She and Harry didn't get a chance to try the Riddikulus spell on the Boggart.

"Professor Lupin seems to be a very good teacher...compared with that Lockhart last year," Harry commented mockingly.

Recalling mischievous pixies flying inside the classroom and Lockhart, a squib teacher, folding his hands helplessly in last year's Defense Against Dark Arts lessons, nobody could stand a laugh. Lockhart was sacked last year, that's why Lupin is here to fill the post. "Hey...it seems to be raining outside," Parvati pointed out of the window as they turned a corner to the dining hall. Her three friends turned to see the Quidditch grounds not far away, with the blue sea as its back ground. A soft rain curtain covered the whole scenery.

"Oh no, it's raining," Hermione said to herself.

She had to take her umbrella with her to go and take her Arithmancy classes in the opposite building, which she'll have to walk through a roofless- garden to get to. And Harry and the others won't be with her because she's the only one in them four who took this class.

"What's the matter?" Parvati asked as they walked on.

"Nothing...just needing an umbrella later," Hermione replied with a sigh, thinking that she'll have to rush to her dormitory for her umbrella before rushing to her lessons after lunch.

"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked as he looked up from his bowl of porridge.

"She's left for her umbrella," Parvati replied as she helped herself some ice-cream.

"Umbrella? Why? We don't have lessons outside this building today, do we?" Ron widened his eyes as he asked Harry, finishing his porridge.

"I don't know..." Harry replied as he stirred his lemon tea, as puzzled as the other two.

Hermione was roaming through some complicated number chart as she walked out of Arithmancy class after two hours. She was really into calculations when she saw a drop of water splashed onto her number chart, surprising her.

Looking up, rain was showering down on her, getting worse every second.

"Oh no," she thought.

Her hands were full of Arithmancy books and papers of calculations, she couldn't possibly hold her umbrella, let alone waving her wand and saying some spell to make her umbrella float above her on its own magically.

She ran back to the building she just walked out for cover. Wiping her forehead with her wrist, she stood there; wondering when would the rain stop. She was getting late for the next lesson, Herbology.

"Hey...no umbrella?" a familiar voice came from behind.

Hermione blushed before she turned around. A matured-looking young man with short brown hair was smiling down at her with some text books in one of his hands.

"No, I have. But," Hermione started, still blushing.

"No hands," Oliver Wood answered for her with a small laugh.

Hermione nodded, blushing even more.

"Where's it?" Oliver asked, examining her up and down.

"It's in my cloak pocket, the left inner pocket," she replied, looking down.

"You mind if I..." Oliver asked for permission and slipped his hand into her cloak. As Oliver did so, his arm slightly touched Hermione's waist, Hermione got tensed from head to toe. She felt her face getting red hot, she hoped Oliver wouldn't notice that but it was near to impossible. Oliver smiled at her redden face as he pulled his hand out of her cloak with an orange umbrella in his hand.

"I'll hold it up for you; in return, will you let me in?" Oliver asked casually.

Hermione could only nod.

Refreshing showers moistened the crispy grass on the grounds. Streams of sunlight streaked through the clouds and shined on the sparkling droplets hanging gracefully on the grass tips. The ring goals of the Quidditch court, seen indistinctly above the arborous layer, were shining slightly, being washed by Mother Nature. Everything seemed beautiful with Oliver beside her.

Hermione smiled silently as she skewed up at Oliver's handsome face once in a while.

Oliver looked down at her and asked, "What are you grinning at?" his lips curled up slightly.

"Nothing," Hermione replied quickly as she quickened her footsteps.

"Don't start that again. Tell," said Oliver, eager to know.

After a few seconds of hesitation, "just that I'm happy to see you again," she said, turning away from him to blush even more.

She didn't see Oliver blush. Feeling embarrassed, yet sweet, the couple walked without another word until they reached the opposite building.

"What is this man beside me thinking?" "Is he as overwhelmed with happiness as I am?" these questions turned around and around in Hermione's head as they walked into the main hall. How she wanted to look into his head and read his mind, to know how he felt about her, how fast was his heartbeat...was it normal? Or was it much rapid than usual?

As they walked down the hallway, Hermione looked down at his hand, slightly longing to hold it in hers. Giving herself some courage, gulping nervously, she reached her hand into his and held it slightly. Oliver didn't twitch, his lips slightly curled upwards again. Hermione sighed with relief thinking that he didn't mind...

But then, he whispered into her ear, "We shouldn't hold hands here... we might bump into someone like Snape..."

A heavy lump formed in Hermione's throat. She held his hand with a strong grip, then, hesitating, and very unwillingly, she let it go...

Sure enough, turning the next corner, Professor Snape walked up the stairs from his dungeons and eyed the two of them suspiciously. And behind him, were Draco Malfoy and Vincent Crabbe smirking snobbishly and disappeared into a second pathway down to the Slytherin's common room...

As they reached the corner where there was an intersection leading to the Green Houses and another passageway to the other classrooms, Oliver handed Hermione her umbrella and asked, "Are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend?"

"Yeah...yes, I would," said Hermione, wondering what was coming next.

"See you there then," Oliver said with a grin and waved his hand as he walked away.

Hermione turned towards the passageway to the Green Houses, too. Then suddenly realizing that Oliver had neatly folded the umbrella for her, she smiled to herself. Oliver seemed different... No, he seemed to be the Oliver she had known in her first year at Hogwarts - Nice and intimate, not cold and faraway Am I late? Am I late?" Hermione asked as she ran into the Green House, almost banging the glass door behind her.

Harry and Ron were standing right beside the door putting on Dragon hides, preparing for this lesson.

Looking up to see Hermione at last, Harry answered, "No you're not. Professor Sprout isn't here yet."

"Is that something so joyful not to be late?" Ron asked uncertainly.

"Why?" Hermione asked, wondering what Ron meant. She put down her things beside the wall and opened her bags to get her pair of dragon hides.

"You're grinning from ear to ear," Ron said, frowning in confusion.

Parvati burst into laughter behind them.

"What? Parvati!?" Ron exclaimed. Harry stared at her too and looked confused.

"Nothing!" Parvati managed to say, still rolling with laughter.

Ron tried to ask more but Professor Sprout interrupted, "Sit down! Sit down!"

Professor Sprout shushed the whole class as she walked in. Everyone in the Green House sat down on wooden stools. Hermione took a seat beside Parvati and put on her gloves.

Parvati, who had stopped laughing at last, whispered into her left ear, "I saw you walking through the garden from above." Hermione goggled at her friend and her jaw dropped a bit, her cheeks turning pink.

"Oh...!" Hermione could only say.

"He treats you better, doesn't he? Introspected himself, I believe," Parvati said with a grin.

Hermione smiled, still blushing. She opened a pack of acidic soil and added it to her plant.

"You know why I said that?" asked Parvati.

Hermione shook her head, now watering her plant with willow's scent. Her plant looked up at her and seemed to be grinning with pleasure.

Parvati grinned again, turning her pot of plant to another spot with less soil and adding fertilizer to it, "You see...Oliver looked wet...well...the umbrella was totally tilting to your side."

Hermione raised her eyebrows again.

A while later she muttered, "well...he sort of asked about Hogsmeade this weekend..."

"Wahoo!" whistled Parvati, grinning, "you can expect something then!"

Hermione grinned back at her. The first time to Hogsmeade was exciting.

Girls ran into Boutiques to buy clothes their parents surely wouldn't buy for them; boys (Especially the Weasly twins' gang) swarmed into Zonko for nasty stuff to play on fellow classmates. (And of course people like Flitch!) Some ran up to the Shrieking Shack, and others, ran for the Three Broomsticks for some warm butter beer - the caferia's most popular beverage. Thousands of students swarmed through the shops and streets, making the little town very lively.

"It is a pity Harry can't come," Ron sighed as he, Parvati and Hermione walked down the cobblestone-pathway between bustling shops, wondering where to go first.

"No one expected he'd break his leg when he tried to save Ginny from falling off the stairs," Hermione added.

Last night, as Ron and Harry were walking down the stairs from Hermione and Parvati's dormitory to their own, Ginny and another second year girl ran pass them. Ginny accidentally got tripped by a stone which suddenly stretched its neck out of the staircase and Harry tried to save her by grabbing her around the waist but he tripped himself and fell down the stairs with her...

Ginny only got a bruise on the knee and a scratch on her red face because Harry covered her, but Harry broke a few bones in his left ankle and Madam Pomfrey insisted on not letting him have his weekend trip to Hogsmeade and rest in the Hospital Wing for the rest of the day. Ginny apologized for her mistake repeatedly but Harry just waved his head and said it was okay...even though everyone was sure he was looking forward to his first time to Hogsmeade village.

"Maybe we can go to Honey dukes and buy him some sweets to cheer him up!" Parvati suggested cheerfully.

They all agreed and streamed into the sweets shop crowded with Hogwarts students. There were many people inside the shop; including those Hermione wouldn't want to meet.

"Isn't it mudblood," Pansy Parkinson, one of the annoying Slytherin girls mocked as she glared at Hermione. Draco Malfoy was right beside her, sneering.

Going pink, Hermione glared back at her, and hissed through gritted teeth, "Watch your words, Miss. Sassy."

Parvati blasted back, "This village is for real magic people only, not for mudbloods like you. Sod off, Know-it-all!"

Hermione went chalk white; Ron furiously pulled out his wand and prepared to hex Parkinson. In the same time, Malfoy waved his wand mouthing, "A.."

"Stop it, Stop it! We do not want fighting in our shop!" the shop-keeper of Honeydukes shouted angrily, very alarmed with the situation, "get out if you're not buying treats!"

The two groups of students glared at each other furiously and went on to their shopping. After all, it wasn't private enough to fight. When they'd finished buying and when Hermione pushed her way out of the shop, she banged her nose into someone who was going to walk into the shop. Massaging her nose, she looked up to see Oliver Wood, Ray Whites and Angelina Johnson standing before her.

"Hello, Hermione!" Angelina greeted merrily.

Ray nodded at Hermione as a greeting and strolled into the shop hand in hand with his girlfriend.

Hermione stepped out of other people's way and stood outside Honeydukes with Oliver. Ron and Parvati came out no sooner Oliver asked Hermione out.

"Hermione?" Parvati asked Hermione from behind.

Hermione turned around, obviously blushing, then she muttered, "I...I'm..."

"We'll see you at the Three Broomsticks later," Parvati said with a grin.

Hermione nodded. And with Oliver, she disappeared into the crowd...

"Ah," Parvati sighed dreamily, "couples try to get to know each other more after a fight, how sweet."

"Eh?" Ron said, confused.

"What? You don't agree?" Parvati asked with a frown, slightly annoyed.

"Well...we've never fought, have we?" Ron asked her innocently.

Parvati giggled. She leaned in to kiss Ron's cheek and walked away smiling.

Ron blushed furiously to the tips of his ears.

"Let's go to Zonko, shall we?" Parvati asked, with her back facing him, obviously playing.

Ron ran over and held her around the shoulder, agreeing, "Yea Hermione's excited feelings hadn't calm down a lease bit when the two walked into a little road with less people rumbling around. Blushing, Hermione looked this way and that (mostly at Oliver) as Oliver introduced her around. As they came to a parting road, she felt Oliver's hand reaching into hers.

"I thought you mind people seeing us holding hands?" Hermione asked him, giggling. She played with his fingers as Oliver made a funny face.

"No one's gonna see us here, right?" Oliver replied with a smirk, squeezing her hand.

Hermione blushed as she returned a funny face.

The walk seemed peaceful; they talked about usual things aimlessly and swung the hands they were holding. Yet inside, Hermione's heart was beating so fast that she was terrified that it'll jump out of her chest. Oliver seemed to be feeling as awkward as she was...well...a bit calm than she was.

"Um...it's a bit sweating, isn't it?" Oliver asked.

Hermione understood his words; their hands were sweating hard since they were gripping each other's hand hard.

"Maybe..." Oliver started saying, he let go of Hermione's hand and swung his arm around her shoulder, "this is better?"

Hermione nodded with a smile and put her hand into her jeans pocket, feeling overwhelmed.

"I've always wondered...why do you like me?" Oliver asked her.

Hermione thought, "what?!"

And her face showed her surprise.

"Why?" Oliver asked into her ear as he ran his arm down to her waist.

Hermione blushed, not really able to think why.

"Why?" she asked herself.

If it was a normal conversation with Parvati, she would have said, "It's all because it?s natural, I just feel the bliss with him...he told me I was one of them when I first fell into the magical world. He was the first to tell me I wasn't an outcast, he accepted me. He looked...special to me...That's why."

But, being with Oliver, suddenly, she couldn't recall her answer. Her attention was rather on his hand which is on her waist.

"You don't seem as thin as you seem," Oliver commented suddenly Hermione blushed furiously and pulled out of his arms, puffing her cheeks with air, pretending to be angry.

"Oh come on," Oliver laughed, and walked over to hold her again.

"How about you?" Hermione asked him back.

"What me?" Oliver asked with confusion.

"Why do you like me?" Hermione asked.

"Oh... Don't ask me to answer that type of question... I would answer nonsense," Oliver waved her question away quite bluntly.

"You can't answer it yourself and you're asking me to tell you!" Hermione shouted with a laugh.

In her mind, she wondered, "Nonsense?" Oliver eyed her with a small curl on his lips, "what happened inside Honeydukes?" he asked.

Hermione turned to him and made a wondering look.

"I heard from my friends there was 'a show' going on when you were inside," he added.

"Oh..." Hermione understood. Then, hesitating a bit, she told him what happened in detail. Oliver listened intently.

"...then the owner stopped us," Hermione finished.

A long silence followed. Only the sound of their footsteps and the chirping of birds were heard. Not knowing why, she didn't take a glance at Oliver. She just silently waited, waited for Oliver's reply. She felt mixed up; starting to recall Parkinson's words again, "mudblood"

"Mudblood" --- this one little insult stabbed into her heart deeply.

"You're a witch, Hermione," Oliver said earnestly.

Hermione turned to look at him, Oliver looked down at her, and his lips curled up to one side. She smiled. She smiled her thanks. The pain melted away.

Thank you, Oliver... Hand in hand, they walked down the little pathway, whispering words of love on the way. Very much overwhelmed with the situation, Hermione was steaming a lot when Oliver suddenly guided her to a halt under a gigantic maple tree.

Hermione eyed him with askance shyly, thinking "what is he up to now?"

To her surprise, Oliver leaned down a bit and held her small frame in his strong arms, hugging her close. Hermione dropped her jaw slightly and tried to mumble something, anything. Nothing but a gasp came out of her lips, which were chapped due to the frosty wind blowing onto her face.

She slowly returned the embrace, but sprung her arms away from his burly body when a bunny suddenly jumped out of the bushes in front of her. She widened her eyes and stared at it, and then realizing it was only a little animal, she sighed with relief.

Oliver slowly let her go and turned around to face the little gray rabbit which was nibbling some rank grass now. Sighing, (rather with disappointment), he gently took Hermione's hand and started walking again. Hermione paced up to his speed and walked with him silently.

Her mind was in a jumble, she didn't understand what was going on. Was that normal for Oliver to suddenly hug her? Or did he have something in mind? Or is it just a sudden thought...? She felt a small happiness growing in her heart, but she was also very confused. Where are we going?" Hermione managed to ask at last. Her throat was dry and she was feeling more and more nervous as they walked deeper and deeper into the woods.

"We're almost there," Oliver said with a mischievous grin.

Hermione couldn't help but blush, she was anxious to know where they were heading to. Moreover, to know what Oliver was up to.

After a while, steeping on weeds and crispy twigs, they finally came to an opening. A gentle light sprayed down on the couple, Hermione closed her eyes for a second, not able to adjust to the suddenly light. She opened them slowly, the scenery in front of her altered from a blur to a clear sight of a cute little park, one with seesaws and swings and slides and a bench with a roof. Everything was made of wood; trees were hanging down on the whole park and the sunlight was shining through the boughs and the leaves. The wind blew gently and caused the trees to waver this way and that. Swish swoosh, went the leaves, abrading each other. The trees seemed to be waving to Hermione and Oliver, beckoning them to come into the park. A bird suddenly flew out of the trees, surprising both of them. Hermione stared at the beautiful sight with a small smile, it WAS cute.

She wanted to say something, she needed to say something, "this is so..."

She didn't end her remarks, how could she? Turning around to him, suddenly she realized that Oliver was so closed to her that she was directly staring into his face. She widened her eyes, knowing and not knowing what was coming next. Oliver leaned down into her face, breathing gently, his lips touched hers. Due to her lack of experience, or rather due to her surprise, Hermione didn't close her eyes. She stared at nothing, the sight before her was blurring out, a weird feeling ran down her spine. Her heart was bumping so fast she was REALLY scared it'll jump out of her throat.

Oliver's lips slowly let go of hers, leaving a wet impression. Hermione, blushing, locked her eyes on the ground, feeling Oliver's eyes turning away and looking around. She loosened her strain and looked up at him, feeling helpless. She didn't know what she should do, or what she should have done.

"Come on," he beckoned her with a wave of his hand. Hermione didn't notice, Oliver was also trying his best to make some communication between them. Oliver sat down on a bench and patted the bench beside him, indicating Hermione to sit down beside him. Hermione went over to his side slowly, wondering what was going to happen next. As we ALL know, this is the first time Hermione had a boyfriend, she never came upon this kind of situation being alone with a man. It was already a difficult situation, adding the fact he was four years older than her made her nervous enough to be unable to speak or think normally.

She sat down on his right uncomfortably. Oliver put his right arm over her shoulder and asked her, "I've been wondering for a while...but are you scared of me?"

Hermione's heart bumped so hard on her chest it almost made her choke. That question hit her, 'am I scared of him?' For the first time in her life, she considered this problem. Turning around to face him, her lips quivered to say something, but nothing came out. She looked down again.

Oliver seemed put out. Sighing, he let his arm off her shoulder, and with his right hand, he took out something from his left shirt pocket and handed it to Hermione, who was feeling quite miserable and helpless of her lack of experience.

Staring at his closed fist, she put out her hand. Oliver dropped something transparent gently onto her hand; Hermione stared at what he gave her. It was a ring, very obviously. But it had an awkward shape, not round...but zigzagged, like a thin plastic tube burnt in mild fire which caused it to change its shape into a ring.

Hermione stared at it, she stared at it hard. WHAT!? "Wha...how did this came to be?" Hermione asked.

"Well." Oliver started, blushing a bit, "me and the guys were doing this experiment during Potions. And we sort of burnt some plastic tubes and made them into odd shapes... I made this...just thought of you."

Hermione smiled. Blushing as much as he did, she slipped the ring into her fourth finger, it fitted perfectly (almost, if not of the zigzags).

Oliver grinned and added, "I burnt my hands for that."

Hermione turned to look at his hands, she took them in hers and examined if they were okay. At lease, she didn't see any burnt marks on his strong hands.

"Does it hurt?" she asked with concern, massaging his hands.

"It did," Oliver laughed.

Hermione smiled. Then Oliver held her close again, he cuddled her warmly and leaned in to kiss her... Oliver slowly pulled his face away from hers and looked into her eyes, saying in a wondering tone, "I didn't know you have long eyelashes."

"Do I?" Hermione asked with a laugh, looking up at her eyelashes quite unsuccessfully.

Oliver grinned, and then kissed her again. Hermione didn't refuse, but her body twitched, she felt herself 'letting him kiss her' rather than that 'she wanted to kiss'. But how could that be? She had dreamt for this moment for such a long time. Since Oliver came back from his O.W.L.s and his attitude cool to her, until the Connie incidence she had been hoping that Oliver would treat her as someone close, someone he'd open up his heart to.

Their lips parted, Oliver stared into her eyes, but Hermione was still thinking, still thinking in confusion.

Last year, Oliver had ignored her presence as she passed by at school, occasionally saying hello; and she herself had sometimes looked away from his stare out of embarrassment. She tried to think that it was only coincidence, and that he was feeling as embarrassed as she was. But no, she was scared, she was insecure. She knew in other people's eyes, she was having a crush on him but Oliver was only playing around. At lease that was what his friends said to her. But she wanted to believe in Oliver, she wanted to believe the words he had told her, that he needed her...Now Oliver was slowly opening up, his eyes were sincere, his attitude was different, it seemed like 'Oliver in Year Five' was back again. She should be happy that Oliver, who she fell in love with, was back. But she was scared out of her wits of his change. It was too sudden for her to adjust.

"Herm?" Oliver wondered why she went silent.

"Huh?" Hermione came back from her trance.

"What's the matter?" Oliver asked.

Hermione looked into his light hazel eyes; they shined with a glitter under the shade of his brunette eyelashes, mysterious as they always had been, they seemed to be longing to say something...something he wanted to tell her...but she looked away, a lump formed in her throat.

"Nothing," she answered after a long silence, feeling very embarrassed that she couldn't just tell him that she was confused.

"Oh come on, not that again," Oliver grunted.

But she waved her head, not wanting to tell.

I just can't help it

I just can't look at you.

Maybe you're right...I'm really scared of you 'For Teens - How's your Relationship? Hmm..." Hermione stood in front of the book shelves and read the book in her hand.

"What are you doing?"

Surprised, Hermione slammed the book shut and turned around to face her friend.

"Parvati! You scared the hell out of me!" Hermione shouted quite out loud that a few people turned around to shush her. They were in the school library.

"What's the matter? Something you don't want others to know?" Parvati teased in a low voice.

Hermione blushed. Then feeling uneasy, she told Parvati what happened at Hogsmeade with Oliver a few days ago.

"So you want some advices from a book, huh?" Parvati commented after Hermione's explanation.

Hermione nodded.

"I would love to give you some advices if I can, but I never had experience like you..." Parvati added.

She had a feeling it was all because Hermione didn't trust Oliver, yet but she wasn't so sure. What was haunting her so much should be found out by herself.

"Um...you have any good suggestions?" Hermione asked, running her fore finger along a few books about relationships on the shelves, and reading the names.

"Well..for your case...I dunno, how about 'Questions For You to Answer Is it Good Love?' by Love Goddess?" Parvati blurted a laugh as she read a shock pink colored book's name.

"I'm serious, Parvati," Hermione said with a laugh, rolling her eyes.

"Well then, how about 'Trust to Love' by Timothy Wriggleworm?" Parvati asked as she pulled out a book as thick as a dictionary out of the lowest bookshelf. Hermione took the book and flipped a few pages, "no, I don't think so...it was on the lowest bookshelf and it's full of dust...probably a soap novel no one reads at all."

"This looks curious to me...what do you think?" her friend asked, in her hand a worn out paperback.

"'The Three Elements - have a good relationship' by Ulema Lovette..." Hermione read out, "seems to be a beloved book as its intelligently named author is."

"Why do you say that?" Parvati questioned with curiosity, "though I could see it is loved by many readers."

"Ulema means 'intelligent one', Lovette means 'little loved one'" Hermione replied, opening the book up and reading it.

"Where do you get that knowledge, Hermione? You're freaking me out," Parvati sighed with a shiver and waved her head.

Hermione read, "Let's see...'What are the three most important elements to have a successful relationship? In this book I will explain each element thoroughly and creatively so you wouldn't bore out in the middle of it...' seems like a good book to me."

She decided to borrow it. "The three elements are passion, trust and understanding..." Hermione muttered as she finished the book long after midnight.

She wondered if she had any of them that day being alone with her boyfriend.

Passion - She was too scared and surprise to say if she had passion or not. She was sure happy that Oliver was starting to open up, but the fear was stronger and it overwhelmed her.

Trust - Is it there when she's scared? She doubted it.

Understanding - She wanted to know more about him, but she was scared to face it yet. "And how about me?" she asked herself. She couldn't even communicate with him normally, how could HE understand her?

"Herm, you still awake?" Parvati asked with a dreamy voice from the four- posted bed on the other side of the room.

"Yeah...still thinking," Hermione sighed.

"I was just thinking...that you don't need to think that much, Herm," Parvati said as she sat up from her slumber.

"Why so?" Hermione asked, feeling quite helpless that she couldn't clear her mind.

"You know...you're making things too complicated. Don't rush yourself, girl," Parvati said with a yawn and fell into her pillow again.

Dreamily, Parvati muttered, "you've just started out, Herm..."

Hermione watched her friend as she started to snore gently. Though still feeling confused, she thought that Parvati was right.

"I might be making things too complicated," Hermione said to herself and yawned.

There's always tomorrow to think... 


	12. Confusion and Guilt

**XII Confusion and Guilt**

Things weren't just that easy as Hermione expected to be.

She thought that since Oliver was back and they were back into their relationship, things would get better. Well, they sure did. Whenever they met, Oliver would always have a few words with her, and they had lunch together for a few times, too. But destiny still couldn't be changed. Oliver was going to take part in his N.E.W.T.s - Nastily Exhausting Wizard's Test, this year. He's getting busier and busier every day. It was still mid-October, but he was already taking extra classes every other day in the evenings. Other than that, Oliver got his Quidditch practices. As the Gryffindor team leader, he used most of his spare time to train his team members and think ways to win the other teams...It was his last year at Hogwarts, you know. Time he can spare for Hermione was getting less and less. Hermione felt quite left-out, though she knew it was unavoidable...

"What a wonderfully bright sunny day!" Lee Jordan shouted merrily through the microphone, "just the right kind of weather for our Quidditch season to start!!!"

Trumpets blasted, drums boomed, and the crowd cheered crazily, this year's first Quidditch match had started at last. From behind the red curtains and the blue, the Quidditch players of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw flew out abruptly one after one. First the leaders, Oliver Wood from Gryffindor and Collino Jones from Ravenclaw sped off, sending a few girls watching the game off their feet, and bleeding their noses, both leaders were the top hotties of their houses. Then the chasers and beaters flew out, making the crowd even more excited. Last but never the least, shot out the two Seekers of the teams - Harry Potter and an Asian girl with a small frame, flew out from each of their houses' entrances.

They both flew down right beside their team leaders and everyone steadied their brooms. The two teams lined up opposite each other and the leaders shook hands, in a certain friendly but unfriendly way.

Harry took a glance at his rival, forgetting Oliver's words before the match "Get your eyes off your enemy today."

He stared and almost dropped his jaw. The girl before him had the straightest long pitch-black hair tied up in a single pony tail, which was flaring in the wind gently. She had those perfect almond-shaped eyes which shined a certain kind of oak brown sending crazy waves into Harry's mind. And her mischievous grin made him forget to blink. He couldn't think of words to describe her, except, 'god damn gorgeous'.

"Cho Chang," the girl introduced herself with that grin, extending her hand to Harry.

Harry took her petite hand and nodded, forgetting to introduce himself. He didn't realize he was blushing.

Oliver, frowning slightly, punched Harry's shoulder and brought him back to reality, "told you not to look," he muttered.

"Ready? Steady! Go!!" Professor Hooch shouted.

"The sliver whistle was blown! Both teams rose into the air!! There goes Alicia Spinnet, racing for the Quaffle! Uh-oh, here comes a crazy Bludger, can she get out of the way? There she goes! Twist and a turn she avoided it and passed the Quaffle to Angeli- Oh no! Elvin from Ravenclaw cut in! He's got it! Now racing back to the Gryffindor goal, there goes the Quaffle! And Oliver --- Yes, he got it!" Lee Jordan announced excitedly in his usual defending-Gryffindor way.

"Then there goes lovely Katie Bell, as fast as lightening. She trained her speed a lot during the summer. Yes, that's what she said! And it seems the training had done some good! There she goes! Up, down, up, down! She's twisting fast, there's two Bludger on her trail, and another Ravenclaw Chaser, Janet is coming straight towards her! Is she going to make it? Gryffindors pray for your souls! Come on, Katie!!!!! 'Ping!' YES!! She goaled!! Ten points for Gryffindor!!!"

The red crowd cheered and the blues groaned. Gryffindor was taking lead! Above the whole game, Harry was twirling somersaults in excitement in the air. This was the advantage to be a seeker; you can play the game and be the audience in the same time. Suddenly, a rushing wind blew right from behind. A black shadow was steadying her broom behind him. Harry turned around facing Cho; he felt like falling off his broom when she grinned at him again. He tried to swipe the crazy thought forming in his mind, sweating not only because the sun was high, but also because of her presence.

"No Harry, you're in the middle of the game! And what more, did you forget you're in love with Hermione? Still?!" he repeatedly told himself, "You don't have a crush on Cho."

Suddenly Harry saw a glint of gold shining in the middle of the grounds, THE SNITCH!! Forgetting Cho and his emotional problems, he raced for the golden ball hovering right above Katie's head. Suddenly, a Bludger fly past right in front of him and a Ravenclaw Beater sped pass following too. Harry halted with surprise just in time to avoid the crash. He lost sight of the snitch. As he halted, Cho, who was following him close, almost bumped her broomstick into his back.

"Sorry! I didn't mean..." Harry began apologizing to the surprised Asian girl.

"Harry! Stop being a gentleman!! Hit her off her broom if you have to!" Oliver shouted from the goal post, looking furious.

Harry blushed and nodded once towards Oliver. Although he didn't support the idea of flinging Cho off her broom, he still found her annoyingly close to him as he flew around searching for the Snitch. He knew this kind of playing from another player, who he despised. Draco Malfoy acted the same way when they were rivaling in a Quidditch match.

"Harry, right now, she is your enemy!" Harry repeatedly convinced himself, "the only thing you should think is to find the snitch!"

Suddenly, almost as if without thinking at all, he headed straight up into the sky. He rose from his original position, ten feet, twenty feet, thirty feet... He flew up and up and up...He needed a better view of the match. When he turned sideways to avoid a Bludger heading for him, just as he expected, he saw Cho Chang speeding up behind him. He looked around quickly; his emerald eyes hunting for his prey -- the Snitch. A ray of sunlight reflected something gold. He wanted to go for it, but Cho suddenly blocked his view as she hovered right in front of him. The golden glint disappeared again. Harry got frustrated.

"If she wants to play tailing, then here we go," Harry secretly thought, "Hope you won't get injured."

Concentrating on one point of the ground, SWOOSH!! He headed downwards at top speed, head first. Cho, as he expected, followed. She thought Harry saw the Snitch and followed so close that they almost crashed each other. Just right before they both crashed into the grass ground, Harry pulled his broom upwards. With his sharp eyes he searched for the winning key.

In his ears rang Lee Jordan's voice, "50 - 70!! Gryffindor is losing..,"

There it was! Slowly circling the Ravenclaw Keeper almost lazily, was the golden Snitch. Harry didn't wait a second, with Cho almost crashing into the soft grass he sped towards the Snitch. Cho, realizing he was not bluffing this time, pulled her broom up and changed direction quickly...not as quick as Harry. "--- Harry Potter got the Snitch! Harry Potter got 150 points for Gryffindor! 200 - 80, Gryffindor won!!" Lee Jordan's cheerful voice boomed out loud.

"We won!!" Hermione screamed, hugging Parvati tightly in her arms.

"And who's gonna hug me!?" Ron grunted and frowned at the two girls, joking.

The girls giggled and each gave Ron a big hug (with Parvati giving a peck on his cheek). With that, they ran down the stairs of the stand they were in and went to embrace the Gryffindor team with the others.

* * *

"Harry, you were magical!" Hermione praised as she walked along with the Gryffindor team towards the changing room.

"Thanks," Harry replied with a sheepish grin.

"Oh...but that Ravenclaw Seeker was so..." Parvati was stuck for words, "I dunno how to say it but, I didn't like her."

"I thought she was pretty," Ron commented dreamily.

Parvati nudged him hard.

As they turned the corner, Harry came face to face with the Ravenclaw Seeker.

They both stopped and stared at each other for an awkward second. Cho broke the silence, "that was a great feint, Harry."

Harry blushed, surprised of her praise. Never a rival player had praised him.

"I really thought you saw the Snitch," she continued with a grin.

"And..." she said as she massaged her neck pretending to hurt, "you almost broke my neck."

They all laughed.

Cho went pass them and headed towards the Ravenclaw changing room.

"Well..." Parvati said to herself, "I guess she isn't that bad."

The three didn't notice that Harry turned back; just to take a last glance at the black-haired beauty, wondering if he had a crush on her. All the team boys and girls took a quick shower before lunch. Ron and Parvati went off to have lunch first because Ron was starving and Parvati had work to do after eating. Hermione waited for Oliver. After everyone had finished and left, Oliver was the last to come out, rubbing his wet brown hair with a red towel.

"Oh, you waited..." Oliver said to Hermione, surprised that she was leaning on the wall waiting for him outside the shower room.

"Yeah," Hermione replied with a smile, "we haven't talked for a while, you know."

Oliver smiled and gave a gentle push right behind her waist, gesturing to leave the changing room.

They were talking usual things when Oliver suddenly stopped at the end of the great stair case in the Great Hall.

Hermione made a questioning look -- aren't we going to the Dining Hall?

"Hey, I'm going back to my room for lunch. Got my guys waiting," Oliver explained.

"Oh?" Hermione exclaimed, understanding the reason why he stood there, "you mind if I join?"

Oliver stared at her, and then looked up the stairs for a moment.

"Okay," he said at last.

Hermione was so happy; she had always wondered how he ate lunch in his room with his friends. Now, she can resolve the puzzle. "Heyo, Oliver the Quidditch winner!" Ray shouted happily, welcoming him in to the room, "you heard about the Weasly twins' party tonight?"

Oliver walked in and answered, "Sure, can't wait."

Hermione stepped in meekly.

"Oh..."a blonde guy with red streaks between the gold gasped, "so the Gryffindors mighty-o Keeper brought his girlfriend for lunch!"

Oliver just gave a smirk and replied, "shut up"

Hermione blushed and looked around the room; it was totally different from what it was usually like. All the four-post beds were gone, and in their place, were a number of desks adding to the five desks that were already in the room before.

"After eating, we just take a desk and a chair and start studying. It saves a lot of time, you know," Oliver explained why they ate in their bedroom.

Leaving Hermione at a desk with two chairs, he went to ask Ray for two lunch boxes.

"And we can take more space than in the library or the study room 'cause this place is ours. We can ask anything to each other if we needed help. There's no need to keep quiet like in the library," the blonde who spoke before explained more to Hermione. Hermione nodded with agreement. It was a good place to study if you needed help. (Though in HER situation, it was better to study on her own rather than having Harry and Ron asking her questions)

"Where are these from?" Hermione asked pointing at the two delicious- looking lunch boxes Oliver brought to their desk.

"We had the Weasly twins helping us to ask the kitchens to make these. It's delivered here right before lunch-time," Oliver replied with a grin.

"Though we had to strike a bargain with the twins for these," Ray Whites said with a sigh, "it's a bit costly with the helping fee for them, but it's worth it."

All the guys agreed. Davis Landon added to Hermione that the reason all the beds were gone was because it would give them no excuse to take an afternoon nap after lunch.

Hermione laughed at this, and then started eating her food, looking around the room again to see if there was something else curious. There were more chairs than desks; she guessed this was because there would be other people like her coming here not for studying, but just to have lunch with the seventh year boys. She was right. Minutes later, a group of girls and boys came in just to take a handy lunch. Angelina came too, to find Ray Whites of course. She looked surprised to see Hermione.

"Seems you're going quite well with Oliver," Angelina whispered into Hermione's ear with a giggle as she sat down behind her.

Hermione gave her a toothy smile.

It was a happy afternoon with Oliver, talking away as they ate. After lunch when almost all of the handy-lunch people had left, Hermione stayed and actually helped Oliver with some of his Aeromancy (a subject only Seventh years took), surprising everyone and getting applause from them.

She wished these happy times would continue on, but reality wasn't how she expected to be.

* * *

The next two months, November and December, all the seventh years were studying like hell. The test they were going to take was named just the right way. It was NASTINGLY EXHAUSTING. Those every other day over-time lessons were added to everyday, then it was even added up to every afternoon and evening near Christmas. It was obvious that all the seventh years were frustrated with studying; they almost took no rest time for themselves. It seemed like a minute of rest was already a waste of time.

Sometimes, it even freaked Hermione out how the seventh years worked: flipping books until they are tattered, waving wands until their arms ached, and muttering history under their breath between each bite of food and biting their pencils and nails when facing difficulties. They were even hard-working than Hermione was (if that was possible). She wondered if she would go insane when she would be a seventh year. And she missed Oliver. She hadn't had a real face to face talk with him for weeks. Even Christmas was put aside by the examinees.

Hermione was getting lonely as the months went by without Oliver once again. She had her friends with her, but as we all know, Ron and Parvati had their own world while Harry... even though Hermione loved him as a friend it was still an embarrassing relationship between them since Hermione could still feel Harry's love for her. He treated her better than Oliver, like listening to her when she had problems, that sometimes Hermione felt his attraction, men's attraction. She always swiped the thought away quickly.

"Oliver can't be beside me only because he's busy," she convinced herself.

Not realizing what she's going to face next, Hermione just trusted him. She didn't know how depressed she was going to be, for what Oliver was going to say to her. It was just another noontime as Hermione walked down the dormitory stairs to the common room. She and Parvati were chatting away when she bumped into someone - Ray Whites.

"Hey, Hermione and Parvati," Ray greeted them cheerfully.

The girls greeted him with smiles.

Hermione stared at his armful of lunch boxes.

"Oh, you wanna eat with us again?" Ray asked, actually inviting her.

"Um..." Hermione's voice trailed away.

She wanted to, but she was going to eat with Parvati, Ron and Harry. She wondered if Parvati and the boys would mind.

Parvati just grinned at her, agreeing, "Go ahead, you've got only two months left to see him at school."

Hermione grinned to her friend, grateful of her understanding

* * *

"See who I've brought!" Ray said to Oliver.

There was no one else but Oliver and Angelina in the room yet. Oliver looked up with only his eyes from his papers of calculation. Then looked down again, not even turning his head up.

He gave a groan as a reply.

"He's busy calculating Arithmancy," Ray sighed and said to Hermione.

Feeling uncomfortable, she sat down beside him and watched him calculating.

Not long later, a mob walked in, screaming and laughing as they did so. The chattering was annoying, Hermione guessed, because Oliver stopped his calculations and stacked the pile of papers up. He turned to look at her for the first time that day. Hermione was getting uneasy; she saw the shadow of a cold man in his pupils.

"No..." her mind said.

"Can you come out?" Oliver asked her. Standing up, he walked over to the door.

Hermione stood up in a hurry and followed him out, wondering what he was going to say.

"What's the matter? I can't stay and have lunch with you?" Hermione asked, confused.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Oliver started, "I'm sort of busy lately...I don't really have time for you."

Hermione heard him using present tense. It gave a bad signal to her. Oliver sounded a bit annoyed of her existence. Or was it her imaginations?

"Maybe not today..." Oliver sighed at last.

"Okay..." Hermione replied after a long while. Inside she was struggling to shout out.

Oliver bid her goodbye as he went back inside. Hermione felt like hurting herself badly.

_I just wanted to be with you,_

__

I didn't mean to disturb you.

Am I asking for too much?

_When it's only a LUNCH?_

* * *

Hermione?" gasped Harry in surprise as the brown-haired girl stormed into the common room from her dormitory when Harry walked into the common room.

"How was lunch?" Ron asked in curiosity, pulling off his sweater and folding it.

They were just back from the Dining Hall.

"Nothing big," Hermione grumbled, flipping onto a couch, folding her legs in front of her.

She had returned to her room without eating after her conversation with Oliver. She had lost her appetite anyway. None of her friends were satisfied with her answer, but they didn't ask more...at lease, for now.

Ron sighed and crouched in front of a drawer beside the couch Hermione was sitting on. He pulled it open and took out a chess board. Parvati took off her cloak and folded it carefully as she sat in front of a coffee table. Harry took a random book from the common bookshelf and sat down beside Hermione, pretending to read. Within a quarter of an hour, Ron and Parvati were in a big chess fight.

Hermione was drifting into her world of thoughts when she suddenly came back from her trance, noticing that Ron and Parvati weren't acting like always. They were not being noble and nice to each other like before, actually they were calling each other mild names as they played. Ron was especially frustrated and was almost shouting at his girlfriend as he lost another Knight to her. Hermione widen her eyes and turned to stare into Harry's beautiful emerald eyes. She couldn't help realizing they had a cute twinkle in it, her cheek muscles loosened.

"NO. Hermione, stop that thought," she told herself, mentally slapping herself. "Anything weird happened recently?" Hermione questioned to Harry, trying to be poker faced.

Harry scratched his head and replied with a frown, "Well, since we had Divination classes, their relationship became tense..."

"Oh..." Hermione gasped.

That explained it. Ron hated Divination; he was no good in it. Yet neither were Harry or even Hermione. Never could they see a thing meaningful in turning a tea cup wondering the shape of the pile of tea leaves in it to see the future. Hermione, especially, considered it rubbish; it was never her area anyway.

But Parvati was different, she loved Divination. Professor Trelawney, the Divination professor, adored her as a student having the aura of a visionary. This caused several conflicts between the couple, since Ron was extremely stubborn with his idea and won't accept other views easily.

"Do conflicts come together..." Hermione sighed.

"You had conflicts with him?" Harry asked, wanting her to tell him what happened to make her mad.

Hermione clasped her mouth with her hand, realizing she'd said it out. Then she nodded slightly.

While Ron and Parvati were starting a boiling cold war right before her nose, Hermione had finished explaining, telling Harry that she was sorrowful that Oliver didn't really care how she thought even though she understands that he needed to study. Harry felt a great urge to tell her to leave that selfish brat, but it just didn't come out of his throat. He could see Hermione still loved him. Anyway, he didn't really capture the moment to say to her because Ron and Parvati started a real fight suddenly.

The afternoon ended with Harry and Hermione stopping their best friends from scratching and hitting each other's face. Harry felt very exhausted. He wondered what to do about Hermione. He really thought that she should leave Oliver, now. Hermione was thinking the same thing as she went to the library to do her Arithmancy homework on her own after supper. She walked into the library to find no one but Draco Malfoy lying comfortably on a couch, reading a thick black book. He didn't see her, yet. Waving her head, she thought how unlucky she was to see someone she wouldn't want to see when she was in a bad mood. Walking as quietly as she can, wanting a little time for herself before Malfoy disturbs her, she chose a seat far away from the couch and spread everything over the empty desk, starting to calculate.

She was surprised Malfoy didn't seem to know she was there. Well...there was nothing bad with that was there? She drifted into thoughts eventually as she stopped scribing notes to think of her calculation.

"Should I leave him? Oliver is really upsetting me...why am I accepting the pain? He isn't the only guy around, why should I stay for him? He doesn't seem to need me... Why in the world I don't just let it be?" that was what she thought rationally.

Emotional Hermione Granger was replying each question with "no", "because you love him", "because you love him" and "because you love him".

"It's because you love him. Huh?" Malfoy's husky voice suddenly boomed in her thoughts, almost causing her to yelp.

"Malfoy!" she hissed silently, turning around to face him, with a frown on her face and her lips slightly apart.

"You..." Hermione started to say something on her mind to him, but Malfoy stopped her by putting a finger on her lips. Hermione went silent, widening her eyes. He slid that finger down her chin and left her skin gently, guiding it to her notes on the desk. Hermione felt scared for a second that Malfoy would do something sexual again, but her eyes followed his fingers and gasped at what she had written on her notes in her dream.

Clearly, she had written, "Because I love him" on her neatly written calculation. Her rosy cheeks went scarlet.

"Better be careful not to write something that sweet in your homework again, Granger," Malfoy mocked with his trademark smirk, "something happened between you and Woodstock?"

Hermione glared at him and hissed "none of your business."

"You know...I've always thought that it'd be better you leave Wood and date out with Potter... you two are the perfect pair," Malfoy commented in a solemn expression.

Hermione gapped with surprise, flicking her long eyelashes not knowing what to say.

Draco flicked his eyelashes back, looking serious. Yet his wand was wavering playfully in his hand.

After a while, he added meanly, "both with mudblood in their veins."

Hermione shot up and slammed her Arithmancy book hard on the desk in fury, causing Miss Pince, the Librarian, to scowl. Malfoy, smirking and with his nose high up in the air, backed towards the library door. "Of course, if Potty doesn't like pure mudbloods, I wouldn't mind sleeping with one if you like," Malfoy laughed evilly, adding again, "one night the most."

Hermione stepped over wanting to slap him, her anger boiling furiously. How could he? Insulting her and her best friend! But Malfoy turned the corner and disappeared before she reached him, leaving a high pitched evil laugh with Hermione's anger.

Later on, Hermione realized that Malfoy had scribed a note on her homework. He must have had cast a spell with his wand when she wasn't paying attention.

It wrote, "I meant what I said when I said you should leave Wood. Take that suggestion or not, Mudblood. D. M."

Hermione crushed the parchment into a lump angrily, Malfoy's note, her "because I love him" and all her calculations with it. Things were getting more and more confusing. Though Malfoy's comment about her blood was mean, the words before that haunted her mind. Another few weeks passed by, with Oliver still being busy and Hermione herself almost equally as busy as she studied four more subjects than anyone else in the school. Harry was busy too; there were more trainings as the Quidditch match with Slytherin was getting close. His mind was still rolling with thoughts about Hermione, thinking how to help her.

One way was to talk out with Oliver, telling him how Hermione felt. But he and Oliver's relationship had gotten worse after he had confessed to Oliver that he loved Hermione. Unless it was about Quidditch, Oliver absolutely took no time talking to Harry. It was very clear Oliver didn't like him. The other way was to get Hermione away from Oliver, but it was very obvious it'll take the world to pull her away from who she loved.

"Stupid," he mumbled to himself, "why not think how depressed you are before how sad she is? How are you ever going to give up if you keep on thinking about her?"

There had been three matches all together by the beginning of February, and the air was getting tense as N.E.W.T.s and O.W.L.s and the last two Quidditch matches were getting close.

As for Hermione, she had decided to put the thought away. Whatever she's going to do now, Oliver would probably say no to any of her invitation for being alone together. However there were other duties she had to accomplish, one of them was studying hard and not to let down her teachers. She wasn't going to break her promise with Professor McGonagall for getting high grades this year. She spent most of her time with Harry and Ron, Parvati wasn't there. On the first Monday of February, Ron and Parvati had a big fight concerning Divination. Parvati was spending many of her time with Lavender and Timothy, two other Gryffindors, studying about Divination and asking Trelawney things. Ron didn't like that, and adding the fact she was always with another guy, even though Lavender was always there, he was mad. Parvati didn't get Ron to understand her, so she decided to leave him alone for a while to cool his temper down.

Let's get our view back to Hermione. From time to time, when Harry and Ron were beside her as she studied, she would take a peek at Harry. She didn't really know why, she just seemed to do it without thinking. Sometimes, the words Malfoy said to her came into her mind, "you two are the perfect pair."

"No," she'd tell herself.

But she would take another glance at him...after all he WAS good-looking. His once naturally messy black hair was now messed up in a nice way, the way boys would ruff their hair up with wax. The contour of his face was smooth and clear. His complex was slightly tanned out of long-term Quidditch training. And when from time to time, he took off his glass to rub his eyes and take a rest; she'd drop her jaw slightly as she sees his round beautiful emerald green eyes clearly. She was quite sure if Harry was a girl, his eyes would be his charm point. It was already his charm point when he was a boy.

"No," she'd remind herself again, "Harry is your friend only. He IS handsome, but you have an even better boyfriend."

She wasn't sure about the even better part. Sure, Oliver was handsome, but by and by, Harry would grow. He might turn out being better than him. She could talk to Harry normally, though Hermione would convince herself that it was because she wasn't aware of Harry as a man. Yet Harry was considerate than Oliver, a lot. "What's haunting you lately, Hermione?" Parvati asked her with concern as Hermione put on her light blue negligee one late February night in their dormitory.

"I dunno, Parvati; I had problems with Oliver... And I tried to forget it through studying hard. It did work a BIT, but the problem is I'm thinking a lot about Harry then," complained Hermione.

"Harry? Why is Harry in consideration?" Parvati asked, surprised.

Hermione didn't know what to say.

"You're attracted to him recently?" Parvati asked carefully.

Hermione sighed and replied, "I dunno, Parvati. I dunno. Maybe I am, maybe I'm not."

"Well, if you are... I would be glad to see you with him," Parvati commented.

"But Parvati, he's my friend! Only a bosom friend..." Hermione said, almost bursting into tears.

"Its okay, Hermione, its okay," she went over to hug Hermione and comforted her, "maybe you are, maybe not. Whatever, just be true to your instincts."

Hermione nodded.

Then suddenly realizing something, she looked up and asked Parvati, "How are you and Ron? You two weren't being with each other as much as before, even I haven't seen you for a while except here."

Parvati's face darkened, and then she just said, "He's so stubborn."

Late that night, she stayed up thinking about Harry, flipping the diary Harry gave her on last year's birthday and reading what she wrote. She had written quite a lot now; half of it was filled up with things that happened since last May. She sighed; thinking how caring was Harry to buy her this diary to arrange her thoughts. From an objective view, he was a lot better than Oliver.

"HARRY! Why?" she'd ask again.

Putting her diary away carefully, she forced herself to sleep. True to her instincts, could she do it? Hermione woke up feeling weary next morning; she hadn't taken much sleep thinking too much about her love life.

"Stop it, think of Potions, think of Transfigurations but not Harr...no, love," she would tell herself. But it was impossible.

When she entered the common room, she came face to face with Harry. He was sitting on a couch facing Ron who had his back towards the stairs. Harry was wearing a green vest over a crisp navy blue and white checked shirt, with just plain blue jeans. He looked freshly born from a spring morning. Hermione stared for a second, and waved her head, no. But when Harry stood up from the couch, and greeted her good morning, Hermione simply dropped her guard. He was attractive, she had to admit it.

After breakfast, and realizing her heartbeat not slowing down since that morning, Hermione decided to tell Harry how she was feeling. It was driving her mad.

"Harry," Hermione called as they walked down the stairs to the dungeons for double Potions lessons.

"Yeah?" Harry answered, turning around.

"?" Hermione said quickly.

"What did you say?" Harry asked, not capturing a word.

"I said..." Hermione gulped for breathe and slowing down her speed, "Can I have a minute with you after lunch?"

"...Sure," Harry replied awkwardly. He wondered what Hermione was going to tell him, she was looking flushed.

"Harry, I think I like you," Hermione said, once they slammed themselves into an empty classroom after lunch.

Harry widened his eyes and dropped his jaw, "Hermione..."

He knew what Hermione meant, she meant the kind of 'like' not for just a friend. Hermione was trembling.

"So...you want us being together?" Harry asked.

Hermione didn't nod, instead, "I dunno Harry...I don't want to be with Oliver anymore, I feel totally stressed with the way he acts. I want to leave him. But, I don't want to affect his exams..."

"Affect..?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"You know, you feel really unstable while you're preparing for exams...Oliver is going to face N.E.W.T.s next month..."

"This month, Hermione," Harry corrected her, "it's March already today."

Hermione nodded and continued, "I don't want anything to affect him...not even me."

"Since that's what he doesn't want," Hermione thought to herself.

"I don't understand that unstableness..." Harry replied.

Hermione didn't know how to explain anymore. She looked up at him and looked into his eyes...Maybe it was wrong of her to say something like this to him, she started to regret.

"Though I know you know that 'unstableness' the most," said he with a grin.

Hermione bit her lower lip.

Harry nodded, understanding her, "I won't mind, so long you stay by me."

Hermione blushed crazily; she realized she was asking for something unbelievably immoral. She is not going to tell her boyfriend and date out with another boy. Where was her policy? Had she forgotten what Oliver did to her? But Oliver had no right to blame her.

"Hell to policies," she said to herself.

She was going to be happy with Harry, he was a perfect guy. "Have you heard?" someone was whispering in the Gryffindor common room, "Harry Potter and Hermione Granger are dating out!"

"What? Wasn't she dating out the Keeper of our house?"

"Well, that's what I've heard," the first Gryffindor replied.

"I guess they're just friends, aren't they?"

"I thought it was Harry who had a crush on her?"

"I heard the bookworm had broken up with the Keeper."

"Wasn't Potter having a crush on Cho Chang?!"

One day had passed by only; rumors were already going around in the common room. Hermione and Harry were trying to keep calm as they heard what others said. The only ones who really knew about them were Ron and Parvati.

The four spend their past time together like before. Ron and Parvati had made up their relationship, not very surprisingly. Ron had accepted Parvati spending time with Lavender and Timothy (he was only caring about Timothy) to study about Divination in Trelawney's tower at last. He gave up being stubborn with his own idea when Parvati cried out saying that Ron was the one who wouldn't try to understand her. Now they were as sweet as pie. That made both Harry and Hermione relieved.

From morning to evening, Hermione spent time with Harry alone. There wasn't a big difference between how much time they were with each other. But how much time they spent for each other was different now.

When morning came, Harry would wait her at her door. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, they sat together and mostly only talked with each other. (Ron and Parvati had their own world) Before, Ron and Parvati would sit between Harry and Hermione; now they sat beside each other during every lesson and occasionally he'd take her hand under the table, holding each other's hands until they sweated. In the evenings, they'd sit together at the couch with Ron and Parvati beside and read together, or played chess or simply chatted together. When it was time for bed, Harry would take her up to her room and wouldn't leave until he heard her locking the dormitory door.

He was sweet and passionate, something which Hermione expected to be good. But to her surprise, after four days she was starting to feel that this was a load for her. His love was so great that Hermione felt like being crushed by it. She knew that comparatively Harry's love was greater than hers and it was normal that she would feel this way in this situation.

The feeling increased when Harry glared at a Gryffindor guy who was only talking to Hermione for a while privately. Harry didn't tell Hermione about his jealousy but she saw it and felt even worse. (The guy was just asking for hints to get good marks in Transfiguration) How were they going to be okay if he's being jealous every time she talks to a guy? She knew Harry had waited for this moment so long; it wasn't surprising how he acted. She tried to let that feeling be and hoped it'll just pass away. She told herself she can learn to love him...or guide him and not let him be over passionate. By and by, a whole week passed by, but that weighty feeling stayed on her heart. She didn't like it. Actually, she was starting to hate it. She even started to feel that she didn't want to be with Harry longer than half an hour. She felt guilty for the way she felt. How could she feel this way when SHE was the one who asked him to be with her? She tried to get the load off her heart and just be nice to Harry.

"You know...Hermione..." Harry said into her ear on night, "I feel that this is a dream...All your love... I'm scared to wake up from it finding you gone."

That stabbed her heart. She was feeling uncomfortable. She started to ask herself if she loved him from his standard. She thought she did. But if she really did, why was she feeling bad when he's so nice?

"Why am I still feeling hollow?" she asked herself. One evening, a few days before Oliver's departing of Hogwarts, Harry tried to kiss Hermione when they walked out of the Dining Hall alone after dinner. Hermione's body backed away naturally without her approval, causing her to blush and Harry to gap his mouth. They stood there a second staring at each other confused until Snape suddenly arrived and took Harry to his dungeons to clear up some undone homework, leaving Hermione alone.

"You're confused. Aren't you, Granger?" a male's voice came behind her as she walked towards the great stairs.

She turned around to face Draco Malfoy leaning on the marble wall with a superior expression on his face. "Malfoy," Hermione snapped, frowning at the blonde with all his hair slicked to the back of his head.

He must had stood there watching her and Harry missing the kiss.

"Not knowing if you should stay with Potty or go back to Woody? Am I right?" asked he with a smirk.

Why does this brat simply know so much about me? She thought.

She walked pass, ignoring him, and headed for the stairs. She didn't want to talk to him; it'll just make things worse.

"Do you really love Potter, Granger?" Malfoy questioned her as he stopped her at the steps.

"Let me go," Hermione spat, inside feeling very uncomfortable with his question.

"I dare say you don't, mudblood. You didn't leave Wood for Potter, he isn't that important to you, is he?" Malfoy had it.

Hermione flung his hand off her wrist and ran up the stairs.

"I said leave WOOD, not stick to POTTER, Granger," Malfoy shouted at her back.

Hermione hesitated but didn't turn back, kicking each marble stair with her heels all the way.

Malfoy waved his head left and right.

He sighed under his breathe, "Can't you simply separately understand a joke and what I'm seriously saying?" "Dear Harry,

_This is a letter I do not really want to write. I want you to know how much I love you..."_

"No, no! This isn't it!" Hermione shouted with rage, squashing the parchment into a lump and throwing it aside. There were already some more lumps of parchment there. She hadn't yet made up her mind, but she knew as she wrote, her mind would be made up eventually. She started again on a new piece of parchment:

"_Dear Harry,_

__

You know very well even though I might be good at getting good marks in exams, but I'm not a person who could speak straight when I am strained. I want to be very honest with you, but I'm scared if I spoke to you face to face I will stutter and couldn't tell you what I am really thinking. So here I'm writing my true feelings in this letter.

I feel really delighted for your understanding and forgiving me to not to leave Oliver before being with you, Harry. You are nice and caring and wise. Being with you makes me feel natural and I wouldn't go quiet just because you spoke to me. But that was when we were bosom friends. Right now, I still feel your attraction but I do not know why I also feel a load on my shoulders when I am with you.

I've realized in these few days that your love is greater than mine and that mine was near to 'love of a friend' more than your 'love'. I thought I could make it grow into 'love'; I tried to grow to love you. But my 'love' hadn't really grown that way since that day I've confessed to you. Now I know that love can't be grown when I want it to. It has to grow on its own, I couldn't control it myself. I feel stupid for not realizing that in the first place.

Hermione almost dropped a tear on the parchment. She realized that Malfoy was right, how could she be so dumb? It is not that I do not like you anymore, I cherish your company and you are a great friend to me. But when we're being with each other night and day, I feel that I have no space to breathe normally. The stress is too great; I couldn't be with you as a lover anymore. It isn't right, I know. I was the one who asked to start a further relationship, now I'm the one to ask for a break up. I know it isn't logic. But I feel that it'd be better if we were just best friends. I'm scared that if we go on as lovers, one day I would do the same thing as now and hurt you even more.

I feel really sorry Harry. I have done something evil that I am not deserved to be forgiven -- hurting your feelings. I love you very much, Harry. But it wasn't the love I wanted it to be. Do not say you would forgive me; my guilt is not worth your forgiveness. I would really want to be your friend, still. But I'm afraid you wouldn't accept it. Once again, I am truly sorry.

Love,

_Hermione G. _

* * *

_**Baby won't you tell me why there is sadness in your eyes  
I don't wanna say goodbye to you**_

_****_

Love is one big illusion I should try to forget  
But there is something left in my head

You're the one who set it up now you're the one to make it stop  
I'm the one who's feeling lost right now

Now you want me to forget every little thing you said  
But there is something left in my head

I won't forget the way you're kissing  
The feeling so strong were lasting for so long  
But I'm not the man your heart is missing  
That's why you go away I know

You were never satisfied no matter how I tried  
Now you wanna say goodbye to me

Love is one big illusion I should try to forget  
but there is something left in my head

I won't forget the way you're kissing  
The feeling so strong were lasting for so long  
But I'm not the man your heart is missing  
That's why you go away I know

Sitting here all alone in the middle of nowhere  
Don't know which way to go  
There ain't so much to say now between us  
There ain't so much for you  
There ain't so much for me anymore

I won't forget the way you're kissing  
The feeling so strong were lasting for so long  
But I'm not the man your heart is missing  
That's why you go away I know

_**That's why you go away I know**_

* * *

Harry felt like being crushed by a bulldozer, or being thrown off the cliff by someone he trusted, or getting stabbed in the heart...there were nothing graphic enough to explain his pain. He dropped tears onto Hermione's handwriting and wished it was a bad dream.

He tried to get Hermione back to him. But Hermione didn't even want to talk to him. Every time he tried to speak to her, she was either not looking this way or was avoiding his eyes. Harry felt squashed.

"We can't? Really?" Harry scribed a note to Hermione during their History lesson.

Hermione read it and waved her head sadly, avoiding his eyes again.

Harry wanted her to at lease speak to him. Was he going to lose a girlfriend and in the same time losing a friend? Someone who cared for him? Hermione had hurt him; as she had said herself he wasn't going to forgive her easily. But he didn't want to lose her... at lease not as a friend. She was the few who he cared and who cared of his feelings but not his reputation. Right after summer, even knowing that Oliver wasn't going to like it, she didn't leave him when Oliver asked her why she was so close to Harry when she knew Harry loved her. She told Oliver right before his eyes that she cared for Harry no matter if he had further feelings for her or not. Even though he knew that Hermione cared more about Oliver than him, Hermione was the one who knew him most. Her existence was important to him.

"Hermione, why are you avoiding me?" Harry got to catch her at last two days later.

Hermione didn't look at him straight. Staring at the floor she could only exclaim, "Harry, I couldn't possibly start saying 'Hi, Harry! How's today?' like before after what I've done, could I? I couldn't possibly turn around smiling again as if nothing happened when I did this, could I? I'm thick, but not as that!"

"Yes, you're a thickhead," Harry stated.

Hermione turned to look at him at last, her eyes swollen with crying during the night.

"But I can't accept you leaving like this. I can't accept you saying that we can't be friends anymore," Harry said to her firmly.

Hermione closed her eyes and looked down, her lips tight. Harry waited for a response patiently.

"I need time, Harry," Hermione responded at last, "I need time."


	13. Parting Roads and Growing Up

**XIII Parting Roads... Growing Up  
**  
"I was and am still hurt for how Oliver had treated me," Hermione sighed painfully, "Once, I can forgive, twice! ... (Sigh)"

"It is so painful to realize who you loved deeply and cared deeply doesn't... doesn't give a damn how you feel!" she was getting more and more emotional, "...I feel so disrespected."

Parvati nodded and commented, " should have told you he's an ashole...Well, you wouldn't have listened anyway."

She smirked and pulled both her long tanned legs up to the couch she was sitting on, finding an even comfortable sitting position.

Hermione rolled her eyes to Parvati's smirk. Then, changing into a solemn tone once again, she continued, "I couldn't believe I have done the same thing to Harry..." a tear started to trickle down her cheek, "hurting him as much...no... even more than what I have to suffer! I ...I should have... "

She started to cry. A gap of silence followed for a while between them. At their corner of the common room, all that could be heard was Hermione's soft sobbing, and the Weasly twins' distance laughter from the other side of the room.

"Don't think about what you should have done, I dare say you think too much. Think about what you COULD do NOW," Parvati advised after a while.

Hermione looked up at her with a questioning face, streaks of tears on her cheeks.

"Hermione...things aren't that bad as you suppose they are. Don't...take the reality too dramatically, think simply, or you are just going to make things worse. Oliver isn't the only man in the world! And... please realise that YOU hold the key to cheer us all up. All of us! And you know what you have to do?"

"What?" Hermione asked, wiping her nose with her handkerchief. Her eyes were red and her cheeks pink.

"Smile, Hermione," Parvati replied, "just smile."

"All you have to do is be happy. If you are happy, we're happy. Be your normal self, Herm," Parvati continued.

"Forget that geek Oliver, and get a life! Find a good nice guy who cares and fits you in the same time. Or don't find one at all and let the best things come unexpected," Parvati said with a grin, "And as for Harry, what he wants isn't your apology, the thing he wants most...is your company...as a friend now."

Parvati nodded towards the other side of the room where Ron and Harry were looking their way. Hermione peered timidly from under her long curly bangs at the jet black-haired boy who was staring straight at her, definitely.

"Don't worry," Parvati said cheerfully as she stood up, "remember he was and IS your best friend...apart from me."

Both girls grinned at each other. Parvati gave an assuring pat on Hermione's shoulder and whispered, "good luck!" as she walked away.

Ron stood up too, and giving the same gesture to Harry, he went to follow Parvati up the dormitory stairs.

"D'you think they will be okay?" Ron asked Parvati in mild panic.

"Hermione is more optimistic than you think, Ron," Parvati assured her boyfriend.

"After the down period is 'gone with the wind', I believe we will find our old Hermione, and hopefully, Harry back."

Ron added with a wide grin, "I say we will find them even better than before!"

"...I just found someone even more optimistic right here," Parvati sighed mockingly as they both turned the corner to Ron's dormitory.

Hermione gulped as she stood up with hesitation. She advanced slowly towards where Harry was.

Harry tried to keep his eyes away from her, avoiding unwanted embarrassment.

She reached him at last; Harry inhaled as Hermione sat down beside him.

"Hey," Hermione managed to say.

"Hey..." Harry replied.

Then there was silence --- what they both hoped wouldn't exist.

It went on for a few minutes with Fred and George shouting and whistling beside them, for the twins had just invented a new trick --- electric gummy.

Harry glared at George who bumped into him in excitement. The twins decided to change their site to celebrate their success.

Harry took up all his courage, and at last parted his lips to ask, "Why can't we be together?"

This was so sudden to Hermione, she could only gap until the words started to form in her lips, "I...well..."

Harry knew her too well to know he had to give her time to clear up the image forming in her mind. He waited.

Hermione finally made up her mind, and said, "Harry, I realised one very important element that will cause arguments between us in the future, an element I can't and YOU can't give in to you or me."

"That is?" Harry asked, wondering.

"You don't like me talking to other guys when you were my boyfriend," Hermione stated, half asking him if she was right.

"I don't like you talking to other guys even if you were NOT my girlfriend," Harry added in agreement.

"I knew it..." Hermione sighed, and continued, "And I believe you already know I like knowing lots of people..."

"Yes," Harry nodded.

Hermione's popularity had grown at the Training Camps last year. And with her gaining points for their House, the Gryffindors started to accept her 'time-to-time' bossiness on studying; adding the fact she loved to talk with different people, to know about other eras apart from her own to increase her knowledge, she had a great variety of friends. Yet Harry; he had always built up a shield around him, only letting those who are close into his mental world.

"I guess you are right...I am very jealous when you hang out with other guys, even if it's just talk... And having my mind and your assurance that there's nothing between you and those people... I still can't control the jealousy growing inside me. And you...I know you wouldn't want to give in. You're born with that want of freedom," Harry had said all Hermione wanted to make clear of.

"Sorry...I'm...so selfish," Hermione apologised, her head hanged down.

"Well...you can't control that, can you?" Harry sighed, "I can't control my want of possessing all of you either."

Silence again.

"Hermione..." Harry said after a while.

"Yes?" Hermione replied, feeling a little bit peaceful after being frank to Harry of how she felt.

"I guess that was the answer I wanted from you all along..." Harry said, understanding that they both couldn't give each other the space and freedom if they were lovers. He felt so peaceful inside.

"I feel so better comparing to half an hour before..." he took her hand, "thank you."

Hermione blushed slightly and smiled, "me too, Harry."

"Thanks to you too..."

"Hey, you two!" a voice came from behind them suddenly, surprising them.

Harry and Hermione turned around to see one of the flaring red-haired twins grinning widely at them. Harry noticed the great big stack of tickets in his left hand.

"What is it, George?" Hermione asked.

"Heehaw, I and a few other fifth years are going to get a rock concert going on Friday night. Three sickles a ticket, interested?" George asked with his gleaming greyish-blue eyes.

"Wow wow! What suddenly?" Harry asked with surprise.

The words 'concert' and 'band' were so new from George's mouth.

"Don't tell me you two don't know about the Slimball Band of my year!?" George gasped, overreacting.

"Nope," Hermione answered with a giggle, waving her head.

"Then you'll have to come," George said excitedly, handing her a black plastic-coated ticket already, "you'll enjoy it for sure."

Hermione examined the ticket as she wondered if she had a schedule on Friday night. There was none.

"What do you play in the band?" Hermione asked.

"The Guitar," George replied.

"Is Fred in the band?" Harry asked.

"Was," George replied bluntly, suddenly in a bad mood.

Hermione decided not to ask what Fred played.

George handed Harry three tickets insisting him to give two to Ron and Parvati. Harry agreed. George's face brightened up at once.

"Don't tell me Fred and you are going to use this money to make more of your trick goods," Harry said with a sly grin.

George winked at him as he took the money from him and Hermione, "Some, some."

Completing his mission, he stood up to leave.

"Oh by the way, Hermione, how did you know I am George and not Fred?" George asked in wonder as he turned around to face her.

"Erm...I dunno, it's just that I seem to know you're not Fred," Hermione replied, even more puzzled herself. It was already the second time she had recognized the twins from one another.

"Blimy, when mom couldn't even recognise me from her other son!" George shouted. Then he merrily went over to ask some Fourth Year girls if they would go to the Friday night concert.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, and then laughed. George was sure a man to cheer people up. And now with their hearts lighter than before, Hermione thought that they could enjoy this sudden invitation to a concert on the weekend. Parvati was right; it was good to talk to Harry.

* * *

Mentally leave Oliver ---- the topic which was left for Hermione to deal on.

It was so easy to physically leave him; he wouldn't even notice that she had left because he wouldn't even care if she existed. He didn't even realize what happened to her and Harry. At least, that was what she believed. But that was only the beginning of 'leaving' him truly. Her mind, even trying to forget him, was still clinging onto that haunting scene that day at the park...that kiss with him, that plastic ring, his first time to be serious in front of her about him... During the period she was thinking of Harry, she was able to forget Oliver for a whole day. Yet when the stress increased in her day by day near the end of she and Harry's dating, Oliver's face started to flow into her world of thoughts again. She thought she hated him, but the truth was she was near to forgiving him again.

"NO," she told herself, "don't be stupid to walk the same path reaching the same dead end again."

But it wasn't that easy as she thought. Thinking of how long she had lingered on to him... how could she say let it go and just easily let it go?

"It is a good chance to change on his graduation," Parvati said the next day after Hermione had talked to Harry.

"Change you and the way you live for him...inside your heart," Parvati also said.

'Leave Him'

* * *

Friday night, the four friends went to where the concert was to be held, the Quidditch Grounds. In the dark, it seemed to be more magical than usual. Dark, but with blue red and green lights shining the band and charmed dim blue fireflies lighting up the audiences' seats, it WAS magical.

"Its soooo beautiful," Hermione gasped as the four chose seats at the back of the audience's rows of seats. They didn't manage to get closer seats because most of the 'Slimball' fans were there since dinner time.

"I didn't know they were THIS popular," Ron commented.

"I have never heard of the band until George told us," Hermione sighed.

"I knew," Parvati said.

"You did!?" the three stared at her with surprise.

"Well...only third years or up were allowed to come to the live shows, it isn't surprising you didn't know. I only know because I've sneaked in and played the electric piano on one of the songs last year, with the help of Jennifer, a fourth year," she explained with pride.

"SNEAKED IN!?" Ron raised his voice just when the band started getting onto the stage and the voices of the cheering crowd covered his voice.

The 'Slimball's were on stage.

It was amazing, the band was really cool and everyone was raving excitedly. Even Harry, who wasn't really a rock-lover, enjoyed the performance well. The band didn't only play rock music, anyway. It was all a great mix up of pop, rock, rap, jazz, blues, countries and even a little classic.

Hermione realized (in the blinding lights) that the band was made up of five people from the fifth year, one electric-pianist, who was a girl with long straight hair and did the main chorus; one guy guitarist, who should be George; one girl guitarist with shoulder-length pig tails, who played the saxophone also; one guy vocal, who was jumping around crazily; and a drummer. She was trying to make out who each one was, but that was impossible. She couldn't see the faces of the band members; she was too far from the stage. Yet one thing was very obvious, all five band members had slick black hair...probably dyed on purpose.

"Why are their hair dyed...and if I'm not wrong...gelled straight??" Hermione asked Parvati beside her.

Parvati laughed and raised her voice over the shouting crowd, "It's an inside joke! They are pretending to be Snape ---- The Slimball!!"

Hermione laughed at the 'inside joke'. The band and the crowd were getting real high as the third song climaxed. The next song was a lot softer than before. It was a love ballade.

Hermione sat down as her friends waved and danced; she leaned onto the bar in front of her and gently played with a blue firefly swaying before her nose. She liked the song, and watched the band intently.

_**Eyes Like a sunrise  
Like a rainfall down my soul  
And I wonder  
I wonder why you look at me like that  
Whatchya thinking  
What's behind?  
Don't tell me but it feels like love**_

"He is good," Hermione thought, her eyes lying on the drummer.

_**I'm gonna take this moment  
And make it last forever  
I'm gonna give my heart away  
And pray we stay together**_

His rapid movements were amazing. Swiftly changing position to hit the drums all around him, the way he moved 180 degrees and back made Hermione unable to take her eyes off him.

_**Coz you're the one good reason  
You're the only girl that I need  
Coz you're more beautiful than I have ever seen  
I'm gonna take this night and make it evergreen**_

What amazed her most was the way he changed his strength of movements according to the music he was playing. That didn't only include the stress he put on his drums, it included his whole body movement. Back and front, to and fro.

_**...I'm gonna take this moment  
Make it last forever  
I'm gonna give my heart away  
And pray we stay together**_

_**Coz you're the one good reason  
You're the only girl that I need  
Coz you're more beautiful than I have ever seen  
I'm gonna take this night and make it evergreen  
Make it evergreen...**_

The next song started with George's solo. The drummer was flipping his drumsticks following to the beat, waiting for the moment he would start hitting the drums.

The vocal got his lips near to his microphone and joined in.

Please come now I think I'm falling  
Holding on all I think is safe  
It seems I found the road to nowhere  
And I'm tryin' to escape

_**I yell back when I heard thunder  
But I'm down to one last breathe  
And will it let me say Let me say**_

_**Hold me now  
I'm six feet from the edge  
And I'm thinking  
Maybe six feet  
Ain't so far down...**_

He started hitting.

_**I'm looking down  
Now that it's over  
Reflecting on all of my mistakes  
I thought I found the road to somewhere  
Somewhere in His grace  
I cried out 'heaven, save me'  
Or I'm down to one last breathe  
And will it let me say  
Let me say**_

_**Hold me now  
I'm six feet from the edge  
And I'm thinking  
Maybe six feet  
Ain't so far down**_

Listening to the music and watching the expressions of the drummer, Hermione felt like being a part of the song.

**_Hold me now  
I'm six feet from the edge  
And I'm thinking  
Maybe six feet  
Ain't so far down..._**

**_I'm so far down..._**

She couldn't exactly see the drummer's face, but she could feel his passion for his drums, his percussion, his music...she actually felt pain inside her as the song of ego and sadness went on. Or was it because it reminded her of Oliver? In any case, she admired the passion the drummer had. She wondered who he was.

The concert ended when the clock struck midnight, the crowd started to leave and Hermione got pushed away from her friends. Not many of the events in Hogwarts were allowed to go on till this late. Hermione wondered why the teachers gave permission, especially when McGogonall and Snape were around. She wanted to ask Parvati about it, and also about the drummer. But Parvati was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Half an hour later she reached her dormitory, Parvati wasn't there. She had left a note for Hermione.

'I'm with Ron '3', I'll be okay, so don't worry. Good night! Hope you enjoyed the concert! Love from your best chum, Parvati"

Hermione waved her head and laughed with her nose, preparing to sleep. Changing into her sky blue negligee, the song she liked best today filled her mind...

**_I'm gonna take this night and make it evergreen..._**

* * *

It was a week later when Hermione found out Oliver was leaving Hogwarts early with some of the other N.E.W.T.s attendants to study hard at home.

Hermione was shockedã€


	14. A Mid Summer Night

**XIV - A Mid-Summer Night**

  
"Hermione!" Mrs. Irine Granger screamed with joy as she hugged her only daughter close.

"Mom," Hermione greeted, then looking up at the tall man behind her mother, she asked, "dad, how have you been doing?"

"We missed you," both parents chorused.

Hermione smiled as she felt the warmth of her family. Then suddenly remembering, "Harry! Parvati! Ron!"

She searched around for her friends; they were with the Weasly family. The Grangers walked over to the mob of red heads and greeted each other.

"Hey, Hermione," Ron asked, "will you be coming to the Burrow this summer? Or are you going to some trip oversea?"

Hermione turned around to her parents with a pleading look. She was like a sweet little puppy until Mr. Granger announced they are not going anywhere that summer. Hermione grinned from ear to ear as she told Ron she would be going to the burrow for sure. Ron smiled too and assured her that they will get Harry out of Dursley's house before Harry's birthday.

"We count on you!" Hermione and Parvati shouted at Ron and the Weasly twins as the families parted.

A few days before leaving for the Burrow, Hermione walked around Linda's neighborhood, hoping to bump into her old friend. As she was walking pass the berry bushes she used to steal blueberries from with Linda, Hermione felt a lump forming in her throat. She sure missed Linda a lot.

It was then, when a familiar voice came from behind her, "Hermy?"

Hermione sprang around, "Linda?!"

There was Linda, her old friend, standing there looking surprised. The next moment they were both embracing each other and saying things like "Oh god, you've grown so much!"

"So you've come back from boarding school for summer?" Linda asked in a cheerful voice.

"Yeah...Linda...I am sorry that you got mad when I sent you an owl," Hermione apologized.

"It's okay, I forgive you. But that really wasn't an acceptable joke!" Linda warned, laughing.

"No, Linda! It wasn't a joke!" Hermione explained.

"Huh?" Linda said, puzzled, "like you're gonna be a magician or something?"

Hermione laughed.

"Let me show you something," she suggested, tugging a confused Linda back to her house.

Back at Hermione's house, she showed Linda her wand, broom, books and potions-brewing tools. Linda stared at the magical things in front of her with her eyes wide. She didn't believe it and thought Hermione wanted to become a magician who perform in a circus until Hermione showed her moving photos of Hermione and her three best wizard friends at Hogwarts. (Remember she can't use magic during the summer holidays!!) Linda took back all that she had said to Hermione (through Hermione's mother) in the past about Hermione making fun of her and being insane. Though Hermione couldn't show Linda her magic abilities, Linda asked Hermione to tell more about life in the magical world to her. Seeing that Linda was interested and truly believing her, Hermione was pleased that she had got her old friendship back. It was true, sad things don't last forever.

* * *

It was in the early morning of the 30th of July when Hermione's fireplace was cleared to welcome the arrival of the Weasly parents, who were going to take Hermione to their home in the magical world. Hermione couldn't wait, the times being at the Burrow were always the happiest time for her during the summer. Staying at the Weasly's home was something like going to camps, exciting. When they did arrive, with Ron and Harry with them, Hermione kissed her parents goodbye and promised to write lots of letters and visit them during X'mas. Packing her trunk and stuff, they traveled by floo powder back to the Burrow.

"So you've met your old pen friend!" Harry exclaimed after Hermione told him about Linda when arriving at the Burrow.

"Yeah," Hermione said with a wide grin.

"She understands you now, doesn't she?" Harry asked, happy for her.

Hermione could only nod.

Then remembering something, she cheerfully added, "She's staying in London from now on. Her father had changed his job and her whole family had moved from Chicago back here. She's going to study in a school near my home town. Cool, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "now you can see her once you're back from Hogwarts!"

* * *

"Hermione, you will be sharing a room with Ginny. Sorry, we don't have spare rooms, too many children, you know," Mrs. Weasly repeated her usual phrase to Hermione.

"Its okay, Mrs. Weasly," Hermione replied as she put down her  
backpack on Ginny's bright yellow carpet, "Thank you for letting me  
stay."

Mrs. Weasly smiled sweetly, and then before going out of the room, she said, "Ginny will love your company."

"Hey, Gin," Hermione greeted the only girl in the Weasly children, who was sitting at her desk.

"Hey," Ginny replied, not looking up from the work she was doing.

"What are you doing, Ginny?" Hermione asked as she peered into Ginny's hands.

Ginny was holding a piece of metal with buttons 10, # and . She was pressing the buttons randomly, sending messages. Yes, it was a mobile phone.

"Where in Merlin's world did you get that?" Hermione asked, astonished.

"Promise don't tell mom, she'll kill dad AND me. Dad knows I have quite a lot of muggle-born friends at Hogwarts. They all have mobiles; I don't...so dad got me one! I really think that muggles do invent wonderful things, this is a lot faster than sending an owl!!" Ginny explained excitedly, her fingers still on the buttons.

Hermione grinned. Virginia Weasly WAS the muggle-lover, Mr. Weasly's child.

After lunch, Parvati arrived with an extra large backpack and a trunk at the door of the Weasly's.

In the afternoon, the four going-to-be Fourth Years, Ginny, Bill and the twins played a violent game of Quidditch over the flat land behind the Burrow. After three games and four hours of continuous playing, they were all exhausted. Ron almost broke his left arm; while Hermione, dropped off her broom once and got a few cat-claws-like scratches on her right palm.

Hermione's hands weren't exactly bleeding, even though the cuts were quite deep. Except that it hurt a lot. After washing her hands, she looked around for Mrs. Weasly, wanting to ask her if there were bandages in the house. But she was nowhere to be seen. As Hermione was feeling helpless, Fred came through the door by chance.

"Fred... do you have bandages?" she asked him.

"Wait," Fred replied as he wiped his wet hair with a towel and walked over to where the medical box was.

"Bandages?" Fred said clearly to the box.

The box opened itself up. A couple of water-proof bandages and a can of bandage spray floated out and landed in Fred's hand.

"Here," he said as he signaled Hermione to sit down.

He took her wounded hand and examined the three long cuts on her palm carefully, "That IS horrible, cut by grasses?"

"Yes...I got my life line cut in half; Professor Trelawney must say I'll be dead by tomorrow," Hermione laughed.

Fred laughed and said, "I don't believe in divination either."

Hermione smiled and added, "But I do believe in zodiacs, I seem to be a Gemini as a Gemini is described to be."

"I dunno...I'm born on the 16th of February. Which zodiac am I?" Fred asked.

"Aquarius," Hermione replied, counting the zodiacs.

"Hmm...do I look like one? Hold still, this hurts," Fred said, spraying the spray-type bandage on Hermione's wounds.

"I dunno how an Aquarius is told to be. It doesn't hurt," Hermione replied, sticking her tongue out.

Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her hand, Hermione, not expecting it, cried out painfully. Fred grasped her arm tightly, trying to sooth her pain.

Harry. Parvati and Ron, who were walking towards the house burst into the living room, "What happened!? Your voice is ringing all over the valley!"

Hermione wiped her tears and replied, half crying, half laughing, "Sorry, sorry! Nothing...just spraying bandages."

"I almost thought Fred did something to you!" Ron joked, seeing there was nothing to Hermione.

Fred, letting go of Hermione's arm, made a long face and laughed.

* * *

"Shhh, you'll wake mom," Ginny whispered.

It was past midnight when Hermione, Parvati and Ginny were sneaking out of their room up the stairs.

"Whose room are we supposed to go to?" Hermione asked, hoping the stairs wouldn't creak when she stepped onto them.

"I think it was George and Fred's room," Parvati replied in a low voice as she walked up the stairs after Hermione.

They reached the third floor at last, and knocked three times on the twins' bedroom.

There was a moment of silence, and three more knocks from the inside of the room. Hermione knocked four times again, and the door opened.

"Come in, quick," there came Ron's voice behind the door.

The three girls slipped in to see Ron, Harry and the twins in the bedroom.

"Did anyone hear you girls?" Harry asked.

"No, dad and mom were snoring, Percy has to be asleep, dunno about Bill though," Ginny replied.

"He's asleep, we checked," Fred told them.

Being sure it was safe already; they started playing games like tramp and monopoly. Parvati introduced a game called 'killer' to them, which the players have to sit in a circle and guess who the killer was as they played. It seemed exciting and enjoyable. Everyone agreed to give a try.

Since the game required holding hand with the persons beside her, and also squeezing hands, Hermione got her wounds brushed twice by Ginny, who sat beside her. It hurt painfully, though she didn't show it.

But Fred realized, and beckoned her to sit beside him when the game stopped for a while after a few rounds because Ron sneaked out to get some drinks. Hermione did as Fred asked her, though not sure why he asked. He held her hand gently and didn't squeeze hard when he had to. Hermione understood, and thanked him a lot for his caring.

After a few more rounds of killer and poker, and the twins showing everyone amazing cards magic (the muggle way), they all laid down on Fred and George's beds to tell ghost stories in turn. It was already 3 a.m. Comparing to the times when Hermione was still just a muggle, the ghost stories were even scarier, since you know that those'ghosts', 'poltergeists', 'werewolves' and other 'imaginary creatures' did exist. When Parvati was telling them about a 'real'story of meeting a Dracula in the graveyard opposite to her house, Ginny almost screamed out. George and Fred, sitting on her two sides managed to clamp her mouth shut. They all got silent for a while, listening intently. Mr. Weasly's snoring was loud and clear.

"Its okay, go on," George said to Parvati.

Parvati continued in her scary serious tone, "So, I walked near to the shaking coffin, curiosity had won my fear. It was shaking noisily, violently. I could hear the squeaking of mice. And worse, I could hear the sound of someone chomping the bones..."

Hermione inhaled, pulled a poker face, and hoped no one would realize that she was scared. It seemed like she could really hear the chomping of the bones then.

"I wished it wasn't what I thought. But there goes..."

Hermione couldn't stand it anymore. It was then when a hand grasped one of the sleeves of her red-and-white-checked pajama top.

Hermione turned to look at the person beside her and asked in surprise, and quite loudly, "Why are you holding my sleeve?"

Parvati looked angry; Hermione had broken the scary mood into a funny one. Hermione blushed as she apologized, and begged (boohoo...) Parvati to continue. Parvati smiled, and pulled a solemn face to tell what was in the coffin.

Hermione turned back to Fred in her questioning face.

Fred hung his head down, then whispered, "You're shaking...and I thought you'd need it."

Hermione blushed. How could Fred notice so much? She had always only recognized him being the prank with George, and never really knew him deeply. Now getting to know him, she realized that he was not only who she had thought. He was cute, not only by the looks. Slowly, she reached her hand out of her sleeves. A comfortable feeling from the long past filled her heart when she held his big warm hand.

"I couldn't believe what I've seen! It was a living body, but it looked hard and stiff. And what made that crunching noise was actually that living dead, eating the mice! I was shocked, SHOCKED! What else can I say! I turned to run, and..."

But what happened next to Parvati didn't scare Hermione as much as before Fred offered his hand. Even though she did grasp his hand hard when Parvati acted being bitten by the Dracula and dropped onto the bed stiff, not moving. Parvati's acting was so real Harry suggested her to join the Drama Club.

After George told his version of the story of fighting the Giant Squid in the Great Dark Lake, Harry and Ron suggested watching the stars outside before it becomes bright. Parvati and George agreed.

"Ginny's asleep, we'll have to leave her," Ron said as he and Harry reached for the door.

But Hermione didn't stand up, instead she said, "I am too tired to move guys, you can leave me here."

"Fred?" George asked his twin who was still sitting on his bed.

"Pass," Fred replied bluntly.

"Why?" George asked back, surprised.

"Legs sore, don't wanna move," Fred replied.

George grinned sort of slyly and left.

So Hermione was left with a sleeping Ginny and Fred. Inside she was feeling weird. Fred? Legs sore? She wondered if he was saying the truth. Maybe he was, maybe not...But why did she think he was lying?

"Not used to playing Quidditch for continuous hours?" Fred asked her.

Hermione grinned bitterly, "Yeah...my shoulders hurt especially."

"Want me to give you a massage?" Fred suggested, "I'm quite good at it."

Hermione smiled and asked, "Would you?"

Sitting on his bed, Fred pulled her arm and indicated Hermione to lay her head on his crossed legs. Hermione was not used to be so close to a guy, she blushed slightly as she did as she was told.

He was good. It was very relaxing and adding the fact that she was exhausted, she felt like sleeping in that position. It was then when Ginny stirred and Hermione stopped herself from falling asleep.

"How's that?" Fred asked, "Did I hurt ya?"

"No, you're great," Hermione praised.

Fred grinned. Pleased, he massaged the sides of her head, which was really comfortable. Hermione wondered if lying like this on a man's lap was normal...they weren't lovers.

"Did I tell you I am jumping a year from this September?" Fred asked her a while later.

"You are??" Hermione gasped, "But how? And ...why?"

"Well... George and I want to finish our education in Hogwarts as soon as possible. So we asked Professor McGonagall for her permission to let us skip Year six and jump up to Year Seven. Of course, she said no at first. After all we are the most trouble-some kids in Hogwarts even though we always get good marks in exams," Fred stopped here a while, Hermione laughed.

Then he continued, "But we insisted and insisted AND insisted; giving her all the reasons we can until she promised us to ask for the Ministry's Educational unit's permission for us. All went well, except that the Ministry declared that we must get high grades in N.E.W.T.s this year, or else... me and George will have to revise our education from Year six again next year. It's a matter of studying a year or three."

"I understand how now...But you haven't answered me yet. Why?" Hermione asked, still confused.

"Well, hope this won't be too boring for you..." Fred started.

Hermione waved her head and insisted Fred on continuing.

And so he did.

"George and I have a dream of opening a shop of our own, a shop selling toys for kids, the things we invented; like...no, even popular than Zonko!" Fred explained, his eyes twinkling.

"Like...Weasly's Wizarding Wheeze?" Hermione asked with a giggle.

Fred grinned broadly.

He said, "Yeah, when we get to graduate, George will fly worldwide to get inspirations and invent toys, actually he had always got most of the inspirations than me. And I will go to College..."

"College?" Hermione asked, even surprised.

"Yeah, I'm going to Economia College of Economy and Business, a college that teaches economy, business and finance, things of that sort. Bill studied there after he left Hogwarts before working at the bank. And he assured me I can learn all I need to start a business," Fred answered, winking his eye.

"But why not wait a year more? You can go to that college after completing your education," Hermione suggested, not yet convinced.

"That is the same question McGonagall asked us, actually she didn't believe I will go and continue education when I can flee..." Fred replied, "But George and I can't wait; we have realized that a lot of people want to open shops like us. And we want to make a trademark for our goods before people start stealing our ideas...especially at school," Fred explained. He seemed to have a few people in mind.

"Steal your ideas?" Hermione gasped.

"Yes...a pack of guys a year older than us at Hogwarts had stolen one of our inventions' idea, we are quite sure they are planning to open shops like we want to...and it isn't only that pack, there are a lot of other people in the world wanting to start this business! George and I have to get into the society as soon as possible. And to start successfully, we have to be prepared. That's why I'm going to College while George will do his inventions. We have a future dream assured by ourselves; we know that studying at Hogwarts wouldn't help us further, that's why," Fred said all in one breathe.

Hermione could see how much of a passion he had for what he does; he had a dream, a dream so sure. Hermione suddenly realized she had never thought of her life after Hogwarts, she felt a bit embarrassed for that.

"I see," she nodded after a moment, and then added cheerfully, "I wish you all the best!"

"Thank you, Hermione...actually, to be honest; I AM scared of N.E.W.T.s. Sometimes I think, what if one of us failed?" Fred confessed his worries to her.

"You'll be okay, I am sure," Hermione assured him, then smiled.

One who has so much passion for a thing would do his best. Hermione was  
sure if both Fred and George are willing to do it, they can succeed.They will.

Fred grinned comfortably, "I feel powerful with that," he thanked her.

He insisted on giving her another round of massage. Hermione happily accepted.

It was then when George and Ron burst in (as quietly as they could, not to wake up their parents). They both stared at Fred and Hermione, who were sitting together quite closely then.

"I've been wondering...George started, "Are you two dating out?"

Ron joked, "Don't tell me you two were making lo..."

"No, don't be silly Ron. We're not that kind of relationship," Hermione said firmly, not really sure inside.

"Are you sure?" George asked, mainly to Fred.

Fred didn't reply, he just looked away from his twin.

"Hmm...Ron, let's go out and find the others," George concluded slyly.

Ron smirked at this and nodded his head. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I'll go too," Hermione said, just to let Ron know she wasn't staying for Fred.

"I thought you had a sore back," Ron replied playfully.

"I HAD," Hermione answered as she stood up.

Fred tugged her close to him and spoke into her ear before she left, "Don't tell the others about what I've just told you, okay? Only you, Bill, George and I know about this here. Mom will be furious and she might destroy the plan if she knew. At lease... wait till school  
starts."

Hermione smiled and assured him she will keep the secret.

As she creped down the stairs, she thought about what Fred just told her. So she was the only girl who knew.

After a while, everyone was back in the twins' room. No one teased Hermione and Fred because the shock of almost awaking Mr. and Mrs. Weasly down stairs was too great for the returning teenagers. Harry, Ron and Parvati lay down on George's bed; while Hermione, Fred, sleeping Ginny and George lay on Fred's bed from left to right, while they started to tell scary stories again.

Around five in the morning, when the sun was starting to shine gently through the curtains; most of the children fell asleep. Only Hermione, Fred and George were awake. They played cards for a while, until all of them started to feel their eyelids getting heavy. And so they slept in the position they were in, until Hermione woke up an hour later...

* * *

She didn't open her eyes at first. All she knew was that she was feeling very hot when she woke up. Slowly, she lifted her eyelids, someone beside her was breathing hard onto her face. It was dark in the room even though there was sunshine outside, the curtains were thick, and she couldn't exactly see what was happening. In confusion, she tried to make her mind clear. Who was it sleeping beside her? Then she remembered --- it was Fred.

Her mind clear now, she realized something even shocking happening under the bed covers, Fred was hugging her close to his chest. Hermione couldn't speak. He wasn't just hugging her. He had his strong hand inside her pajama shirt and was passionately rubbing her back, pulling her close. His nose was gently touching her forehead, and his breathe was hot. Was he dreaming? Or was he still only half awake? Instantly, she tried to prevent his moving hand from trying to press up. She was sure if he went any further up, his hand will touch her breasts. And to her horror, she realized she wasn't wearing a bra that night/morning.

Should she cry out? Should she tell him to stop? She had learnt from elder teenaged girls that girls should cry for help if anyone was doing this sort of a thing to them. But shout now? Fred might not know what he was doing, and she was sure Mr. and Mrs. Weasly will wake and find out that they were playing overnight if she did scream. And worse, finding out Fred doing this to her.

It was then when Ginny started to stir. Terrified, Hermione pushed Fred's hand away with all her strength and jumped up from the bed covers.

She thanked that she had long hair, so she can cover her horrified face for a moment before Ginny sees her expressions. She heard and felt Fred sitting up slowly beside her, and could feel his stare pointing straight into her back. She didn't know how to face him.

Ginny sat up too.

"You're awake, Hermione?" Ginny asked with a yawn following.

"Hermione dared not turn back, but she looked sideways and replied, "Yes."

She glanced a bit sideward, and saw Fred's big shining eyes staring straight into hers. She looked away at once. Scared of sitting beside him only, she clambered over to Ginny's side, sitting between Fred and Ginny. Ginny was again playing with her mobile phone. The surprise not wore off yet, Hermione sat as close as she can to Ginny, which made Ginny felt weird.

Only the sound of low beeping from the mobile was heard in the room until Fred asked Ginny to show him her phone. She hesitated, but lent it to him. Fred took it and started hitting the buttons; he seemed to be typing words into the phone screen. Reading what he had typed twice, his fingers shaking a bit, he handed it cautiously to Hermione.

Hermione wondered what it was, she took the phone timidly, and read the only word on the screen, "SORRY".

Reading it twice to be sure what she had just read, she deleted what he had wrote and tried to type back a reply. But she couldn't. Her fingers wouldn't listen, and moreover, her mind wasn't functioning normally. In the end, she handed it back to Ginny without typing a word. Fred looked crushed. Ginny looked confused. Hermione felt unsure. The way Fred acted in the covers wasn't the Fred she knew. She was scared.

Six in the morning, even though sleeping so late, most of them woke up. They could hear Mrs. Weasly walking around in her room down stairs.

"You guys should go back to your rooms now," George said to Harry and Ron.

They yawned and agreeing, left the room and crept up the stairs to Ron's bedroom. Fred leaned onto the door and told George something. It was then when Parvati woke up; Hermione bounced over to her side and whispered, "I need to talk, later."

Parvati, who was half asleep, mumbled, "Okays," and dropped into the blankets once again.

George whispered to the girls as Mrs. Weasly left her room to the kitchen, "You guys should wait a while...in case mom changes her mind and go back to her room to sleep half an hour more. She sometimes does that."

Parvati mumbled nonsense as a reply, while Ginny nodded. Hermione wasn't listening; her eyes were looking at Fred. And moreover, Fred was staring into her eyes too; he had been staring at her all the time since they woke up. She WAS scared, still. But surprisingly, there was also another feeling deep inside her starting to blossom, she didn't yet know what it was. All she knew, that it was a peaceful feeling.

* * *

"Some of you slept late last night, didn't you?" Mrs. Weasly complained during breakfast.

Ron choked, and then coughed painfully.

"I knew it," Mrs. Weasly said.

It was obvious that some of the children were still very sleepy, especially Parvati, who had her eyes closed while she ate her toast. There were also some of them who were used to sleep late and were still very hyper, like George. But they all knew Mrs. Weasly only knew half the truth. It wasn't 'some' of them; it was 'all' of them who slept late last night.

"Especially you, Fred," Mrs. Weasly added, "You were never this quiet during breakfast."

Hermione choked inside. She looked up at Fred, and realized that he was unusually quiet. And from time to time, he took glances at her. Hermione tried not to look at him and poked Parvati awake to talk to her. Parvati slept into her toast. Oh, what could she do?

"So what d'you wanna talk about?" Parvati asked her that afternoon, fully awake.

Hermione told her about Fred's last night's behavior and the way he apologized. Parvati was stunned.

"HE WHAT??" she cried out, eyes wide

"...I can't believe it myself," Hermione sighed.

"But...he isn't that kind of a guy! At lease, for how much I've known him since I joined 'Slimball'..." Parvati stuttered.

"But...he did did this," Hermione said.

"...are you sure he was awake?" Parvati asked her.

"I wasn't...but he apologized, you know," Hermione replied, "That means he did know what he was doing."

"I see," Parvati agreed, "how are you feeling now..?"

"...I'm confused. I liked him a lot, but now I'm not that sure...actually, I'm scared of him now," Hermione answered sadly.

"He isn't a bad person," Parvati said surely, "try to talk to him."

"I will," Hermione agreed, "Thanks Parvati, I feel a lot better."

"You're welcomed, Hermione," Parvati replied, hoping the best for her.

* * *

That afternoon the Slimball band held a small scaled concert in the Weaslys' garden.

As usual were George as the guitarist and Parvati as the electric pianist. Fred agreed to hit the drums after George's overacting pleading and Ginny joined in as vocalist of the group. The other Weaslys, Harry and Hermione were the audience. A few neighbors watched over their fences too.

Their first song was a folk song. The parents felt comfortable with the show naturally as it was a familiar song to them. Though Harry and Hermione didn't know the song, they liked it. They were of course as always amazed with the band's play. But something more astonishing was Ginny's voice. It was exceptionally good. She was good. George was smirking with his eyes wide as he flicked his guitar. Fred was grinning as he mouthed the song along with Ginny, he didn't need to play yet. It's a folk song. It wouldn't be surprising if Ginny were scouted into the Slimball band next year. Mr. Weasly was amused by the electric piano of course. He can't help asking over and over again how the piano worked. Mrs. Weasly waved her head in disapproval. The contrast was already something familiar in the family but it still was something hilarious for Harry and Hermione as they watched Mr. and Mrs. Weasly argue (or Mrs. Weasly's one-way muttering) over the muggle- instrument. Ron just waved his head and sighed.

George started singing solo, his fingers moving up and down his guitar. Parvati moved her hands one the keyboard softly as George entered the second phrase. Fred flicked his drum sticks, preparing to join in, his moves somewhat familiar to Hermione. Then he started hitting. Ginny joined in. The song was getting heated up. It was the second song Hermione liked at the school concert, the one that stirred up her ego and pain.

"Ginny IS good, I didn't know she can sing," Harry commented in amusement.

Hermione didn't reply. Her eyes stayed on Fred, he and his drum hitting. She was too shocked. HE was the drummer. Fred, he was the drummer who stirred up her emotions that night at the concert. She was sure now.

* * *

Hermione couldn't sleep that night. Rolling in her bed with Ginny gently snoring below her, Hermione thought all about last night's happening. The scene replayed a thousand times in her mind and disturbed her sleep. The strong impression of Fred's hot breathing in her face, and his strong arms holding her, was still there; as if he was still holding her. She hugged herself and closed her eyes, trying to forget it, but her body still remembered it all. Frustrated, she got out of bed and decided to get some fresh air outside the house.

"What a night," she thought, looking up at the First Quarter of the moon, which was hanging in the skies alone, half hidden by clouds.

Hermione could almost see no stars, there were clouds getting in the way. Rubbing her arms, she looked around, wishing that the memories of Parvati's tales of Vampires wouldn't be recalled then. As she scanned pass the land before her, she saw the silhouette of a man standing twenty feet away to her right. Hermione trembled. Oh no, not really a vampire, huh?

It was then when the other half of the moon appeared from behind the clouds, dimly, but shining on the two of them. Hermione recognized the man as a teenager, and to be one of the Weasly children. Yet he had his back towards the moon and Hermione couldn't make out the silhouette of his face, not until he stepped near slowly, as if hesitating. It was Fred Weasly.

That moment, for the first time, Hermione realized what made her recognize Fred out of George. She looked straight into Fred's deep blue eyes and found the answer there. Even though both boys' eyes were round and exactly the same shape, George had light grayish-blue eyes, while Fred had deep blue ones. That was why she could recognize the twins one from another.

"Hermione," Fred spoke.

Hermione shivered at his deep voice, yet pretended to be calm.

"Hi," but her eyes were not looking his way. What happened last night and the scene of Fred hitting the drums flowed into her mind. She wondered why the latter as well.

Fred didn't take his eyes off her, "I am terribly sorry for what I have done to you...last night," he was stuttering, "It...wasn't the act of a human, I... "

Hermione bit her lower lip, listening though her eyes still away from him.

"If...you want to hit me, I will stand still," Fred said firmly, and then added with a hint of hope, "I know how...bad I behaved, but...I hope we could still be friends...well..."

Hermione shot up her head and stared at Fred before her, he was looking straight into her deep brown eyes, asking for her forgiveness. Hermione repeated in her mind, what he just said, and couldn't help wanting to smile. She never thought this was what Fred will say, "I will stand still and let you hit me."

Hermione stepped near. Fred closed his eyes and waited for the slap to come.

Unable to control herself, she burst out a laugh.

Fred opened his eyes uneasily and stared at her, very puzzled, "Uh...Hermione?"

"Fred, Fred, Fred, Fred," Hermione repeated his name, trying not to giggle.

"Um...yes?" Fred answered.

"Okay, I forgive you," Hermione said, wiping a tear.

"Really?" Fred gasped, not expecting this.

"...still friends?" he asked.

Hermione nodded and smiled at him. The instant his words made her laugh, and the apologies were said, Hermione had forgiven him. His sincerity touched her heart. Hermione sat down on the soft grass, and gently signaled him to do the same.

"I am very sorry..." Fred said again, as he sat down, "I couldn't believe what I was doing.

"It's okay," Hermione nodded, listening to every word intently.

Fred smiled slightly for the first time that day, Hermione realized this, and smiled too.

"You know, you did scare the life out of me," Hermione said jokingly.

Fred lost his smile. Looking nervous, he said, "When I think about it, I get scared of myself too."

Hermione nodded once, showing she understood, thinking, "wouldn't I be scared too, if I were him?"

They both didn't speak for a moment, staring up into the dark sky. The east wind gently blew the clouds away, and showed the zillions of stars behind.

"Isn't that beautiful," Hermione whispered.

Fred smiled as Hermione told him which stars formed the Aquarius Zodiac.

"You know, Hermione..." Fred said, looking up at the skies, "I don't know why, but I have a weird comfortable feeling when I am with you...like...'peace'."

Hermione widen her eyes and stared at him. Fred noticed this and added at once, "Oh..! No...nothing special."

Hermione blinked her eyes twice and turned back to the sky. She decided to think she never heard him saying about being comfortable with her, because it was giving her a weird feeling too.

"Was that the first time you ever did...that?" Hermione asked a moment later, without thinking.

Fred gulped and nodded yes.

"Sorry, that was a stupid question," Hermione apologized.

Fred waved his head this time.

"Could you..." Fred asked, "Not tell anybody about last night?"

Hermione's heart jumped, "Oh...Sorry, I told...Parvati. I was so scared...I'm sorry."

"Oh..." Fred gasped. He looked troubled. Not because Hermione told someone, but because he had known how scared Hermione was. More than he thought.

Hermione noticed this, she smiled and told him gently, "It's okay," then she added, "You okay?"

Fred didn't reply, but mumbled something. There was silence again.

"Um...Can I ask a question?" Hermione asked, wondering, "You can choose not to answer though..."

"Go ahead," Fred replied.

"During that hour... I was asleep...did you...?" Hermione asked him, unsure.

"Yes," Fred replied.

Hermione blushed slightly, recalling the scene.

"At first, I was asleep..." Fred confessed, "But when I woke up...I did this, and..." he didn't say further.

Hermione's cheeks reddened into a deep scarlet.

Wanting to know all the truth of it, she gulped down saliva and parted her lips to ask, "Erm... Did you...kiss...me?"

Fred blushed at this, but Hermione didn't see him.

He nodded embarrassingly. Hermione would have blushed even more, if she could.

"Oh..." was all she could say.

They both looked away from each other, and silence followed.

It was almost 2 in the morning then, Hermione was getting sleepy. After all, she had only slept an hour last night. And now that her load had been removed, sleep was taking over her. Fred yawned too.

"I think we should go back inside now," Fred suggested.

Hermione nodded.

"I hope you will sleep well tonight...not like last night," Fred said to Hermione when they reached the front door of the Burrow, he had a silly grin on his face.

Hermione smiled and replied, "you too, Fred."

She opened the door and they both crept up the stairs quietly.

"God bless you, Hermione," Fred whispered into her ear at Ginny's room door.

Mr. Weasly was snoring loudly again.

"I didn't know you believed in God," Hermione whispered back.

"Well...I don't, actually," he replied with a grin.

Then his face softened, and added in a whisper, "but I do wish you'd be happy for the rest of your life."

Hermione almost giggled out loud.

She praised him with her heart, "Fred, you're very nice."

"But I..." Fred started to say, reminding what he had done last night.

"We've already talked over about it. Now that it has passed, don't think about it anymore," Hermione insisted.

Fred firmed his lips, then parted them and thanked her, "friendship forever, Herm."

Hermione smiled at him as he started to step away towards the stairs, still looking her way.

"Sweet dreams, Fred," Hermione whispered quite loudly.

Fred grinned and mouthed good night as he turned and walked up the stairs.

Hermione got back into Ginny's bedroom feeling refreshed in one sense. She felt she could really have a good night sleep when she realized Ginny had her eyes opened, staring into Hermione's face with a smirk on her lips.

"Gin, I thought you were sleeping," Hermione said with surprise as she got over to the bed.

"I was, until I heard you and that guy out there. You two bided each other goodnight for such a loooong time," Ginny teased.

"Ginny!" Hermione started to say.

"Which one of my brothers was it?" Ginny asked with curiosity.

Obviously, she had recognized the person to be a member of her family, but hadn't heard everything.

"I thought you were his sister," Hermione teased back, getting into the covers.

"Come on tell me, I won't tell," Ginny pleaded.

"There's nothing between us so there's nothing to say," Hermione ended the conversation, blushing a bit.

"Nothing between you two, when you were talking outside my room for fifteen long minutes, huh?" Ginny muttered as she rolled inside her bed covers.

"Fifteen minutes?" Hermione thought as her eyelids fell, "It felt a lot shorter..." 


	15. First Instincts, Second Considerations

XV First Instincts Put in Second Consideration

Hermione woke up early the next morning, feeling great. When she got dress and got downstairs to the living room, she found Mrs. Weasly making breakfast and Fred sitting at the sofa reading a book. Fred looked up when she came down the stairs, and waved his hand at her. Hermione waved back and smiled. She read the book covers of Fred's book, "High-Level Transfiguration - A modern course for N.E.W.T.s."

"Good morning, Mrs. Weasly. Anything I can help?" Hermione asked Mrs. Weasly, who was flipping pancakes.

"Good morning, Hermione!" Mrs. Weasly greeted in panic as she flipped the pancake again, "Yes please, can you help me make the salad? Everything needed is on the counter. Thank you very much."

Hermione smiled and started washing the vegetables. Then she cut the ham and sliced the carrots. When she finished crushing the potatoes, she looked around for mayonnaise, but there was none on the counter. Suddenly, a cold tube of mayonnaise touched her face. Hermione yelped and looked up at who that had done this joke to her, Fred.

"Here," he said, handing her the mayonnaise.

"...Thanks, Fred," Hermione said with a smile, "will you help me?"

"Sure," Fred replied, and mixed the crushed potatoes and the mayonnaise together as Hermione cut the tomatoes in half.

Mrs. Weasly watched them with a funny smile. This was the first time Fred ever helped in the kitchen.

"Listen, children!" Mrs. Weasly announced after breakfast, "We will be going to Diagon Alley this afternoon to get your school things."

"Hurray!" they replied, they couldn't wait to get there and do window shopping, and maybe meet their other friends from Hogwarts too.

At Diagon Alley, Mr. and Mrs. Weasly left the kids on the streets to explore on their own while they went to greet friends at the Leaky Cauldron. Promising that they will be back to the Leaky Cauldron when they should buy their text books, the children scattered onto the cobblestone streets.

"I'm going there!" George demanded, unmistakably pointing at a joke shop.

Of course, the boys agreed to go too. Parvati, who also liked this stuff, nodded her head vigorously. Ginny seemed to be not very willing to go inside. Since the twins always made fun of her and joked that the shopkeepers would play tricks on her, she never did. But when Harry asked her if she would, she simply blushed and nodded her little head. Hermione saw this and grinned slyly, she had wondered it for a while, but now she was sure Ginny had a crush on Harry.

Hermione went into the room with them too, since everyone else was. It was a very interesting shop, with many dark corners and thousands and thousands of things hooked onto the four walls of the shop. A big rusty bronze-made fan above their heads was wavering dangerously as they looked up and stared at the merchandise with name and price tags written 'Truth Camera - your image can't stop saying the truth when the camera takes ya! 15 Gallons', 'Beds Bugs Boogie - scare your friends out waking them up with this! 2 Sickles' 'Cheesy Mice - cheese that squeaks in your tummy, freaks the girls out and turns them yellow and cheesy! 1 Knut each,' and things like that.

"Bloody brilliant," Ron gasped amazingly, picking up 'The Bloody Hand of Evil' - a glove that starts bleeding crazily ten seconds after you put it on.

"So real..." Harry agreed too as he touched the glove in Ron's hand, "it's just like real skin."

"Ew, I hope you won't take that back to Hogwarts...I am ready to puke at the sight of it," Hermione complained.

"Don't worry, Hermione," Ron sighed, turning the now blood-dripping hand, "this costs 6 Galleons and I don't even have two Galleons to rub with."

Ginny, who just turned around and saw Ron's hand, almost fainted at the sight of her brother bleeding. Hermione took her out of the shop to get some fresh air.

"Are you feeling okay?" Hermione asked Ginny as she handed her a cup of water she got from the cafe.

Ginny sat up carefully and took the cup of water from Hermione.

"Yes.I think," Ginny replied as she wiped her forehead with a handkerchief. It was hot under the burning sunlight.

Hermione sat down beside Ginny on the bench and watched the busy crowd walking pass them. People were bustling busily; no one seemed to notice them at all.

"Thanks, Hermione," Ginny said, feeling refreshed.

"You're welcomed," Hermione replied, "You are quite scared of that stuff, aren't you?"

"Yes.I can't stand that freaky stuff.I once fainted because George threw a plastic cockroach at me during lunch!"

"Anyone would," Hermione comforted her with sympathy.

If there was one thing she couldn't stand about either George or Fred, was their pathetic idea of making fun of innocent people, especially their only sister.

"So, why did you go in there if you knew you can't stand it?"

Ginny gulped, her cheeks going scarlet.

Hermione knew, "Its okay. I just asked."

It was not quite much her business, but Hermione thought then, that Ginny would be a very good choice for Harry. Well, it was for Harry and Ginny to find out. She suggested leaving the boys alone and going to the book store. Ginny happily agreed.

"Chicken out, huh?" George teased his sister when the whole Weasly family and the three friends of Ron's sat at the cafe "Wheezy Drinkers" for tea.

Ginny dropped her head down and didn't say a thing. Mrs. Weasly eyed George dangerously, warning him.

Hermione poked Ginny in the elbow and hissed, "Glare back."

Ginny slowly looked up from fumbling her fingers, and stared right into George's grayish-blue eyes, her lips curled like Aunty Petunia.

"Ooooh! -weenie-Ginny-Weasly had learnt to glare at me at last!" George laughed mockingly.

Ginny folded her arms and replied annoyingly, "don't tinny-weenie-Ginny me, you up-to-no-good."

"Ooooh!" Fred and George gasped together.

Mrs. Weasly's eyes went so wide, Hermione wondered if they would just pop out. Mrs. Weasly opened her mouth to say something when her twin sons interrupted.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," Fred and George chorused seriously with three of their fingers up and their eyes on the ceiling.

All the children laughed. Even Ginny, who was looking furious, grinned back.

"That's enough!" Mrs. Weasly demanded, flushed.

"Well, THANK YOU," Fred whispered to Hermione while Mrs. Weasly was talking to Mr. Weasly about the problem Ginny was getting a little bit out of character, "now we lost a chicken to make fun of."

"Surprised your tinny-weenie-Ginny-sister could get that rebellious, huh?" Hermione replied sarcastically, half joking.

It wasn't long before Ginny screamed hysterically and bounced around in a fearful face, when George dropped something slimy down her neck as everyone stood up to leave the café.

"Poor Ginny," Parvati waved her head and said to Hermione when they were walking down the street side by side after tea.

"My brother, Philip, was also like that when Padma and I were juniors. He freaked us out when we were half asleep. He doesn't do that much now, since all of us are getting quite old. The Weasly twins don't seem to grow old forever I wonder if Ron was older than either of them..you know, Ron being taller than the two of them and all. Are you listening, Hermione?"

Parvati waved her hand before Hermione's eyes.

Hermione came to her sense, "Yes? Oh. sorry, I wasn't listening."

"You haven't talked to Fred yet, have you?" Parvati asked with concern.

"Huh? Oh. I did, I talked to him last night," Hermione replied, collecting herself.

"So why were you in a trance like just then?"

She stopped walking and pulled Hermione aside. The crowds were bustling noisily and she couldn't hear Hermione clearly.

"I don't know, Parvati. I thought I had already sorted things out. But once I am not concentrating on what I am doing, I seem about him again," Hermione confessed.

"That is surprising," Parvati commented, nodding her head.

"Yes." Hermione agreed, not really understanding that Parvati meant it surprising because Hermione was thinking of a guy, and it was neither Oliver nor Harry.

"Maybe I still care what happened that night?" Hermione wondered, "But I have a feeling that it isn't only that that matters."

"Maybe I shouldn't have disturbed your thoughts," Parvati concluded, "do you need some time to think alone?"

Hermione nodded a while later. She apologized for not listening and thanked Parvati's understanding as she walked a different road from Parvati's, towards a clearing outside Diagon Alley.

"Hey, where are we gonna test these?" Lee Jordan, the Weasly twins' best friend asked excitedly.

"Don't ask, my friend," Fred said bossily, leading the way up a slope.

"Where do you think is the place in Diagon Alley, that NO ONE will go near?" George merrily gave a hint to a confused Lee, jingling the bag of merchandise in his hands.

"Oh yeah!" Lee exclaimed, the cloud in his head clearing up, "Almost forgot where."

The people around her slowly faded away as she turned a couple of corners and came to a totally unknown place to her ahead the road. There was only a deserted security guard's station on wavering soft grass before her. It was a small office with rusted walls, only enough for three to four people to squeeze in. Not really in the mood to explore the place, she reached a fence which separated Diagon Alley and the town of London beneath. Looking out, Hermione found it amazing that the muggles walking outside this fence didn't know that a whole magical world was right beside them. She chose a spot behind the station, where no one coming from the road she came from just then can see her. Under the warm sunshine, Hermione lay down on the grass and closed her eyes, musing about her feelings and thoughts.

"Parvati seems to think I have something special for Fred. I guess I will have to admit I DO have particular feelings for him. He makes me feel disgusted sometimes, but.I seem to find all his good points covering the bad does that mean this is love? But.I couldn't even distinguish the lust I think I am feeling from love that may be here in my heart."

She didn't hear the footsteps reaching her, neither the creaking of a rusty door or the owners of the footsteps talking in whispers. She was too busy confusing between lust and feelings. Her mind came back to the deserted grassland in Diagon Alley only when a moment later, a loud explosion from behind shook her awake."

"What the.!" Hermione shouted in fright

She jumped up, horrified. The wall behind her was still shaking slightly as she crept towards the front door of the station. Colorful smoke was emerging from inside of the room and made Hermione choke. Wiping the tears off her eyes and stopping more coming out due to the irritation of the smoke, she stepped on the rusty door which was now lying on the grass and whispered, choking, "hello?"

No reply. More rainbow-colored smoke emerged and blinded Hermione's eyes. She closed them before she started to burst into tears.

"HELLO?" she shouted, her hands on her neck, trying to stop herself from choking.

"Her." a voice from inside coughed painfully as he tried to say something.

Hermione didn't hesitate and walked into the room, tripping on broken wooden furniture. She thought she kicked someone's limb lying on the floor, when someone grasped her arm.

Hermione gasped, "Fred, is it you?"

She felt the man nodding, and she said at once, "I'll go find someone for..."

The hand grasped her arm hard, as if telling her not to go.

Hermione hesitated. But when Fred started coughing hard, she pulled his arm onto her shoulder and tugged him out of the cabin.

Fred looked as if he had just come out from a laboratory. His vividly red hair stuck up on their ends had slightly turned brown, his face had colorful powder all over, and his clothes were torn and burnt.

Hermione sighed and made him sit down as she wiped his face with her handkerchief and tried to pat the dust and powder off his face and shirt.

"You're cough like mom," Fred said heartily.

Hermione frowned at him and stood up to leave.

"Hey! Wait..." Fred shouted after her as he scrambled up, half tripping himself.

Hermione didn't stop, stomping towards the road to the middle of Diagon Alley.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to." Fred said breathlessly as he at last caught up with her.

Hermione didn't fling off his hand on her arm, but turned around and asked angrily, "Why stop me? Don't want your MOM to know what you have been doing in there? I am not that stupid not to know what you were..."

"No, no! I .Well; I do not want you to tell her..."

Hermione glared at him in an I-knew-it face.

"But you know that isn't it!" Fred protested.

Hermione did, but she also knew she wasn't happy he joked she was like a mom. She didn't want to be his MOM, she wanted.

The she gasped; her eyes slightly wide. She seemed to have found the answer to why she was going into temporary trances recently.

"Hermione?" Fred asked. He realized the change in her expressions.

Hermione didn't reply. Instead, she blushed.

He decided to change the topic, " were you around? This is not really a place anyone would come to since the old security guard died out of shock last year."

"I...I was just finding a place. to be alone."

"To?"

"," Hermione answered awkwardly, not sure if she wanted to say it out loud.

"Something's bothering you? Anything I can help?" Fred asked in concern, now both hands on her arms.

Hermione bit her lower lip constantly and thought if she should say. She looked up into his round twinkling eyes and gulped. Her heart started to thump so fast and her inside turned topsy-turvy that she was about to throw up. Fred tilted his head and raised his eyebrows slightly, that did it.

"I don't know if I am still thinking about what happened...or ...you."

"Me? Or should I apologize again.?"

"No, no, no! That isn't it.I meant.I meant."

Fred frowned a bit, looking confused.

She gulped.

"I.I might have fell for you."

Fred blinked his eyes and gulped once.

Staring into Hermione's shivering face; he suddenly felt he couldn't say a word. Then he looked down sadly, his mind in a confusion he never had.

"?" Hermione asked in fear that he would say something bad.

"I am very sorry." Fred managed to say after a long silence.

" what?" Hermione asked, dreading whatever he would say.

" are .you should consider your academic as the most important thing..."

Hermione widened her eyes. Fred, the prank and well-known trouble-maker was actually saying this to HER. Then she felt anger and sadness arousing from inside her.

'Is he trying to say no to me through this? Trying to make me feel less painful?'

Tears were starting to form in her eyes. She avoided his stare, turned away, and tried to force her tears back. To her own surprise, she succeeded. Then trying to calm down, she turned back to him again. Fred was still looking at her, his beautiful blue eyes staring into hers.

"Hermione, you..."

Fred widened his eyes in fear seeing her eyes slightly red.

"I hate that phrase, Fred," Hermione said at once, not letting him mention her tears, "I hate you saying about my academic. It wouldn't affect my results, it." she hesitated, the scene Fred was reading "High-Level Transfiguration - A modern course for N.E.W.T.s." that morning came into her mind.

" might affect yours," Hermione concluded quite sadly, having reminded that he would be taking N.E.W.T.s this year, adding the fact he will skip his sixth year and everything will be harder for him.

"I didn't mean that." Fred sighed, "It wouldn't affect mine, either."

"To be honest, I have good feelings for you too."

Fred looked as if he had said something he shouldn't have said, his ears went deep scarlet, reminding Hermione of Ron. Hermione raised her eyebrows, her cheeks red, her inside went topsy-turvy again. She had felt it for some time now, but that was the first time Fred denying like last time. (For your information, read the previous chapter)

"Oh." was all Hermione could say. Not being able to control the overwhelming happiness, the corners of her lips slightly curled upwards.

"But." Fred continued, "I don't think it is the ."

"You we don't know each other a lot yet?" Hermione asked, trying to understand him.

".I am afraid that it will be not fair for you."

"What not fair?" Hermione asked again, looking unbelievable this time.

"Because I would be only staying in Hogwarts for half a year." said Fred.

Hermione frowned, saying, "I know that."

She didn't understand: Why does that matter? If a couple loves each other, why does it matter being apart or not? Why not live the day to its limits?

"Maybe you will understand what I am you are older."

Suddenly a thought came into her mind, "have you ever got a girlfriend?"

Fred nodded, "when I was in year 2.I want to be careful about girls , I hurt her a lot."

Hermione raised her eyebrows slightly.

"I know I don't look like a guy who cares," Fred mumbled.

"I didn't mean that."

Fred just nodded.

"Err.I guess you know I was dating out someone too...if you call that dating," Hermione muttered rather to herself and rolled her eyes.

"You mean Oliver?" Fred asked.

"Yes..." Hermione rather not talk about Harry now, she didn't want to make things even complicated than it was.

"Sure." Fred sighed.

"Why did you hurt that girl?" Hermione asked in curiosity.

"Because. I was too ignorant.I didn't know how to be a boyfriend."

"You mean. like you didn't know how to care for her?"

"Yeah," Fred nodded.

" confessed then?" Hermione asked, hoping she wasn't passing over the border line.

"I knew she loved I liked I told her that."

Hermione tilted her head upwards for a little bit. Fred had said "she loved me, and I 'liked' her," She knew this way of expressing was either the person didn't want to admit he or she loved the other in the past; or the person thought he or she loved the other, but was how Hermione felt to Harry.

"Um..this is totally out of topic but, "What do you think of Oliver? I mean.I was being with him for a few years, but I never knew him." she sighed, "I feel so stupid."

"Maybe. concerning you and of the reasons was the difference of your it was too wide."

"Yeah." Hermione agreed that it was the big gap of their age that made her so scared of Oliver. She didn't open her heart to him as much as lovers should, neither did he, anyway.

"Maybe to him.I was still a kid, too young to understand ," Hermione looked up at Fred, slightly feeling them getting apart, "you feel the same way about me too."

"Hermione.I don't want to hurt you, really. I. but my suggestion is that everything better wait till you grow up. Or should I say that since you know not that much about me too..."

Hermione sighed slightly, smiling bitterly, "You are a true Aquarius, Fred."

"True Aquarius.?" Fred asked.

"Starts love from friendship," Hermione added to his words.

Fred widened his eyes, one corner of his lips curled up.

"Anyway," Fred added on, "so I want us to know each other I think that everything can wait until we both develop more."

Hermione made a funny face at the word 'develop', it sounded like they were going to develop into another living thing.

She didn't speak for a while, her brown pupils rolled to the left top of her eyes, thinking. Her mind was quite made up when she turned to look at Fred again.

Fred was still watching her intently. Hermione actually liked that, and let him stare more before replying at long last, "Okay, we can start from friends."

Fred seemed to relax suddenly, his shoulders dropping slightly. He smiled, showing his white teeth. Hermione smiled back. She always loved to see his cheerful sunny smile, it brighted everything up. If she could see him smile, she'd rather hide up her feelings and do what he hoped she would.

"So, saved my other half and left us knocked out there, huh?" a voice came from behind Fred.

"George," Hermione gasped, fearing he heard anything Fred and she were talking about.

"Hermione," George gasped too, imitating Hermione's tone.

Fred turned around, realizing for the first time in his life, he had forgotten his twin. George looked just like Fred when Hermione first found him in the station, except he looked a bit nastier with a small wound on his left cheek and frowning eyebrows. Lee staggered behind George, his braided black hair in fizzles now. He tried to reach for George's arm, but unsuccessfully fell to the ground.

Hermione apologized and ran over to help Lee up. Lee grinned widely; his cheeks were powered with red, green and yellow, which contrasted with his dark skin, making him look like an Indian in a school play. Hermione seemed very worried and started asking if he had any fracture broken; Lee, who was just joking, felt sorry for her and whispered it was just a feint to make her help him. Hermione dropped her jaw and angrily pushed him away. This time Lee really fell and rolled down a gentle slope. Both Weasly twins had made up their relationship laughing by then and ran over to help Hermione pull up Lee, who fainted.

"I think the Bustle-Piggy-Bang burnt too vigorously, next time we should put that in Snape's dungeon," Fred said breathlessly, putting Lee's arm on his board shoulders.

"Excuse me, but I thought you just said it was TOO vigorous?" Hermione asked with disbelief, following the twins towards the heart of Diagon Alley.

"Of course, what use is there putting something that only gives sparks in the Slimball's dungeon?" George said promptly, as he put Lee's other arm on his shoulder, "You need some BANG, some DYNAMICS, something he isn't expecting in his dumb lessons..."

"I thought you two have to study hard for N.E.W.T.s?" Hermione questioned the two, "How could you concentrate when you will be making such a fuss!"

"Wh..." George exclaimed, eyes wide at Hermione.

Then turning to Fred, "Don't tell me you've told her..."

"I did," Fred answered matter-of-factly.

"And you expect HERMIONE GRANGER to keep the secret for us?" George shouted.

"I will!" Hermione protested.

"Mom will slaughter us if she finds out!" George shouted hysterically, ignoring Hermione.

"I said I won't tell!" Hermione raised her voice angrily.

"Come on! George, I never thought you would care. Mom will find out sooner or later, anyway. Moreover, Mom can't stop us if we want to study N.E.W.T.s? The Ministry had already given us permission! All she would do is sending us a Howler or two when we get to school. Why should we care?" Fred tried to convince George.

"And it was your stupid idea to study at Economia...why don't we just flee Hogwarts and start a shop?" George muttered.

Hermione wanted to ask where the boys were going to get financial support if they were going to start a shop, but she decided not to interrupt yet.

"We've been over this a hundredth time... I am not going to repeat..." Fred said as he gritted his teeth, trying to control his temper.

"What, have you been over a hundredth time, you two beasts?" Mrs. Weasly's voice bellowed suddenly in front of them.

All three of them stopped dead and dropped their jaws; they had been deep in conversation to realize they had already walked right into the center of Diagon Alley. Fred gulped as he tried to prevent Lee Jordan's arm from slipping off his shoulders. Hermione started to say something to help the twins but Mrs. Weasly just waved her wand and cleaned up the dirt on Hermione's blouse, indicating her not to say a thing.

"I believe you two have something to say?" Mrs. Weasly said impatiently, tapping her feet, her eyes shooting looks at Fred, George, and then back to Fred.

George at once changed into a solemn face and replied, "Nothing, mom."

"NOTHING!" Mrs. Weasly bellowed, "Nothing when you got your clothes burnt and your faces bleeding? DON'T LIE TO ME GEORGE WEASLEY!"

Both twins were about to say something together when the Jordan family appeared. Mrs. Weasly turned around at the hysterical scream of the two younger sisters of Lee. Mrs. Jordan scrambled over to her frizzled son and smacked him until he was fully awake, roaring what a bad example had he made on his two younger sisters, Janie and Jillian. Molly Weasly was three times as furious as before Mrs. Jordan came; and as her wand waved and swished, repairing the twins' clothes, she screamed hysterically how bad they behaved and banned them from going to the joke's shop in Diagon Alley next time they came.

"We wouldn't need to anyway," Fred whispered to Hermione after Mrs. Weasly got her temper controlled, "we will have our own shop by then."

Hermione laughed bitterly.

As the group squirmed through the crowd, following Mr. Weasly, Hermione still had a question in her mind. Though she could already guess his answer, she tugged Fred aside and asked, "We got interrupted back do you suppose I am 'grown up'?"

Fred blinked his eyes twice and replied, "It isn't a matter of age.I will know you did when you did."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "That wasn't much help. Well, I guessed you would say that."

Fred was about to say something, but George interrupted again.

It was the next day when Hermione sat with Parvati at the same spot she had talked to Fred the night before yesterday.

"I still can't believe you've already told him," Parvati laughed, "It's only THREE days since you've really get to know each other, and you've already fell in love, slept together, kissed, fought, and confessed! Isn't that awesome."

I thought you and Ron were even faster," Hermione laughed bitterly, "AND, it is embarrassing, you know. You using the term 'slept together'. like we've done SOMETHING."

She rolled her eyes in disgust.

"Well you did, didn't you?" Parvati teased with a smirk on her face, her eyes twinkling.

Hermione rolled her eyes again.

"And I thought FRED liked YOU."

"To be honest, I felt that way too," Hermione replied, making a funny face.

"Maybe he refused that way, just not to hurt you too much." Parvati said unsurely.

Hermione sighed dully. So maybe that's it? He didn't want to make me too hurt?

Suddenly, they heard a loud thud behind them; both the girls jumped in alarm and turned around.

"Ginny! You've been listening." Hermione gasped in surprise, frowning.

Ginny, who was kneeling down, picked up her book embarrassingly and walked over to them.

"I didn't mean to, I was reading a novel just there," she said, pointing at an arm-chair somewhere behind the girls, "and you two came and sat down right in front of me talking about it. You didn't even notice me."

Hermione blushed, thinking that Ginny had just heard all she had told Parvati about Fred.

"Sorry for listening. Well, I sort of guessed it since that night we stayed up late playing." Ginny said, and smirked.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"So, he refused you because you two don't know each other a lot? If he's not ! What a that if you two are not compatible, you'll break-up? I never thought Fred would hesitate in anything," Ginny muttered on, waving her head unbelievably.

"You really WERE listening," Hermione mocked.

"Well, don't you agree?" Ginny asked.

"I believe he has his reasons." Hermione shrugged.

"Like what?"

Hermione shrugged again.

She wanted to explain that for all she knew about Fred, he was a man that thinks ahead. That was what she liked about him anyway. His character showed perfectly in the way he thought up the idea that he should study in Economia. But she couldn't tell them because she promised Fred not to tell anyone, yet.

Hermione had her doubts too. When Fred said he hurt his ex-girl friend, it reminded her of Harry. Reminded her how she treated him because she realized what her feelings towards Harry were. It made her think calmly about the matter; arousing a new was afraid to repeat it be possible this wasn't it again?

"Don't think too hard, Hermione," Parvati comforted, realizing Hermione had her head in her hands, "there is no use in guessing if he was lying or not. That's what he told you, so believe him. Let things come and go naturally. It was really brave of you to tell him how you feel. Being honest is very important, you know."

She smiled with a slight blush, "I just did it on an 't really know what I was doing."

Parvati grinned. Ginny nodded in agreement too, "brave." she muttered. Then she started musing, her cheeks slightly red. Hermione was quite sure Ginny was thinking about Harry.

Hermione smiled even more, and hugged the both of them. Even though they only knew half the truth why she was confused, they (or rather Parvati) had just given her the best advice she could get.

"Thanks," she said happily, "shouldn't make things more complicated than it is!"

"That's the spirit!" Parvati laughed.


	16. The SAME

**16 The S.A.M.E.**

Summer holidays ended in a blink of an eye. Hermione wished those few weeks wouldn't pass by so quickly. Going back to school meant she could learn something new once again, which was good news; but it also meant the beginning of the fight for Fred to get over N.E.W.T.s. Irony as it was, she wondered how much time was left for her to see him.

"Fred isn't only going to study; he will have to practice Quidditch too. Moreover, I have my own studies and I would really want to set up the S.P.E.W. this year for real... Oh! And I am going to take the O.W.L.s next year...Oh dear..."

"What? O.W.L.s?! But it's not until next year you are going to take it!" you might say. But Hermione wasn't going to wait until the exams come before her nose to study it.

This whole situation reminded her of Oliver. "Why would I fall in love with people going far away all the time?" Hermione thought sadly.

"Hermione, The train is going to leave now! Come on!!" Parvati called impatiently from one of the carts of the Hogwarts Express, waving her arm violently.

This reminded Hermione of what Parvati told her, "Let things be as simple as they can be."

Hermione slapped herself mentally as she pushed her cart towards where Parvati was, "don't think, just do what you should do. You don't want to repeat that dull and sad experience with Oliver again with your new feelings, do you?"

Hermione wasn't going to waste another year just sitting there, thinking about things that cannot be controlled by her own. With the help of her best pal, she heaved all her luggage onto the train and clambered in, just in time to hear the whistle indicating the departure of the train. She had a feeling this would be an extremely busy year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

* * *

"Students, students!" Professor Dumbledore called as Professor McGonagall, who was as usual, beside him, tapped her glass rhythmically with a spoon.

The sorting had ended and Dumbledore had let everyone ate fully. The students who were chattering about their summer holidays went silent gradually and turned to look at their old and noble headmaster.

"My favorite dish today was Lemon Sauce Pork Chops... I hope all of you had eaten well," Dumbledore started his speech such abruptly, some girls giggled while those who didn't like the Lemon Sauce Pork Chop coughed loudly, Lee Jordan especially.

"At the end of our last school year, we had an Alumni Gathering of Hogwarts. During the gathering, we came to an extremely interesting topic...which would probably interest many of you..." Dumbledore stopped here and smiled faintly.

Everyone was sitting on the edge of their seats, wondering what it was that was going to 'interest' them.

"Tomorrow, we will hold an election," Dumbledore said as abruptly as before.

Many students gasped and started to whisper in surprise.

"What election?" Neville Longbottom asked to nobody in peculiar. No one replied.

"I hope it's an election letting us choose which teacher we want to sack this year...I will tick S-N-A-P-E for sure," Ron said rather dully.

"Or maybe Trelawney," Harry added with a laugh.

Parvati slapped both their shoulders telling them to sit up straight and listen to Dumbledore seriously. McGonagall tapped her glass again. The hall went silent.

"School, as everybody knows, is the place to study, the place to achieve knowledge. Of course, I hope that apart from this, Hogwarts is and will be" Dumbledore winked at a few first years, who blushed as a reply.

He continued, "Will be also a home to all of you, a place where you can meet those you love, those you care; a place where you can feel belonged to. For the past few years, I have been thinking what it was that we could do to make it easier for you to feel belonging to Hogwarts. It was then when, at the gathering I said before, one of our graduates mentioned that Hogwarts doesn't have a Student Association."

Hermione widen her eyes. A few students gasped, shooting looks at each other. This time the students shushed each other, wanting to hear more of it.

"This interested me, and I kindly asked her to explain it..."

"So the graduate is a she," Ron whispered to Harry.

"...and so tomorrow we will hold an election to decide if you would want to set up this Association. If more than half of you agree to set it up, we will put up a notice to further inform you during the week of the Student Association Membership Election. Lastly, I would want to remind all of you, especially First Years and some—those needed special warnings," Dumbledore twinkled his eyes at the Weasly twins' group as usual, and continued his announcement, "that it is strictly forbidden to enter the Forbidden Forest. Other restrictions are posted on Caretaker Mr. Filtch's office door. That's all for today, good night, and prefects please lead the First Years to their House Common Rooms."

"Dismiss!" Professor McGonagall announced.

"Hey wait! I didn't hear Dumbledore said why he is setting up the Student's association!" Ron exclaimed in bewilder as students around him started to bang and clash their seats, standing up.

"I didn't hear it too..." Harry said in an apologetic way when the two girls beside them glared at them in disbelief.

"He said he wanted to give Hogwarts students a chance to think up ideas and activities for our own and hope it would be a way to let students from different houses co-operate with each other. You two really should pay attention, you know," Hermione explained.

"I would really want to join," Parvati said dreamily, "it sounds so new and exciting to me."

"Me too, sounds very interesting," Hermione agreed, "very useful too. Students can sound their opinions more and..."

"I bet a galleon she wants to set up spew through this," Ron muttered under his breathe.

Harry shot warning looks at him in panic and hissed, "Shush!!!! She'll remind you its Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare again!!"

* * *

A few days after the election, as everybody had expected, the notice was pinned onto all House boards:

_Dear All Students,_

The election held on the 2nd of September, 2002 resulted in having 83 percent of all Hogwarts students in agreeing, 12 percent in disagreeing, and 5 percent having no opinion of having a Student Association. As a result, the First Hogwarts Student's Association Membership Election (SAME) shall be held.

The SAME will be held on the 15th of October. See below for further information:

Only 4th to 7th Years' students are allowed to be elected. The number of candidates is unlimited.

SA Members: Students of 10, consisting of four 6th or 7th Year students and six 4th or 5th Year students. There must be one 6th or 7th Year from each House; and one or two 4th or 5th Year from each House.

Positions to be filled:

_ President (1 Yr6/7)  
__Vice President (1 Yr6/7)  
Secretariat (1 Yr6/7)  
Treasurer(1 Yr6/7)_

President of Extra-Curricular Activities Department (1 Yr4/5)  
Vice President of Extra-Curricular Activities Department (1 Yr4/5)  
Department members consist of the representatives of all ECA clubs and Sports Affiliation, idea-men and adviser

President of Promotion and Publishing Department (1 Yr4/5)  
Vice President of Promotion and Publishing Department (1 Yr4/5)  
Department members consist of the representatives of the Broadcasting Community, Promotional Art and Design Organization and the Hogwarts Monthly Association, idea-men and adviser

President of Health and Environment Improvement Department (1 Yr4/5)  
_ Vice President of Health and Environment Improvement Department (1 Yr4/5)  
Department members consist of the representatives of the Voluntary Affiliations, Pets of Students Caring Community and the Hogwarts Health (Physical and Mental) Community, idea-men and adviser_

Students wishing to join the election shall contact their house professors: Professor McGonagall for Gryffindor, Professor Sprout for Hufflepuff, Professor Flitwick for Ravenclaw and Professor Snape for Slytherin, before the 12th of September, 2002.

Principal, Albus Dumbledore

"Whoa! See that?" Ron exclaimed, pointing at the notice, "I didn't know there were THIS many societies and affiliations in Hogwarts..."

"Can't you say something more sensible, Weasly?" Lavender Brown asked him from beside, "OF COURSE there are a lot of communities in our school."

Ron made a how-insensible-can-that-be look at her.

"Are you in any of these?" Harry asked her, tapping the notice.

"Sure, I am the captain of the Lioness!" Lavender said gleefully.

"Eh... What lioness?" Ron asked, scratching his head.

"How dumb can YOU be?" Lavender exclaimed in disgust, "Don't tell me you never heard of the Gryffindor's Cheerleading Group!"

Ron was shouting madly at Lavender, "Huh? We HAVE a cheerleading group? Why can't I see beautiful girls in OUR house?" when Harry looked around for Hermione.

He found her sitting by the fire side writing something.

"What are you doing when everyone is discussing the election?" Harry asked as he sat down opposite to her.

Hermione handed him what she had in her hand. Harry stared at the words - "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Students' Association Membership Election Form", astonished.

"You signed this already?" he gasped.

"I went to see Professor McGonagall first thing this morning to get this. Can you sign that commendatory part? If you think I am adaptable for the post," Hermione asked him.

"And what post are you going for?" Harry asked, searching for answer in the form.

He didn't need to ask, he found the answer on the sheet of paper in her hand-writing, "Most wanted post: President of Health and Environmental Improvement Department."

"I thought the Activity Department seems interesting too, but for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, I thought being in this," she pointed at the words 'Health and Environmental Improvement Department', "would be better since it includes the Voluntary Affiliations."

"I see your point..." Harry replied, thinking that Ron was right about Hermione.

"So, are you going to sign it?" Hermione asked him.

"Sure, sure, you will do very well," Harry answered promptly and signed his full name on the paper.

"Are YOU going to join the election?" Parvati asked Harry as she sat down between him and Hermione.

"I don't know...after all I got Quidditch trainings too...You?"

"Still thinking about it, I would have to make a time-table for this year to be sure. I've joined a number of affiliations, you know," Parvati replied with a sigh.

"What have you joined?" Harry asked.

"The Lioness," Ron replied grumpily as he threw himself into a sofa beside the three friends.

"You've heard from Lavender, huh?" Hermione mocked.

Ron nodded, puffing his cheeks out a bit.

"Not only that..." Parvati added, "I also joined the Dancing Club and the Slimball band truly at last. There will be a lot of dancing and cheerleading and music-playing this year for me. If I want to join the SA...I will have to think about it carefully now."

"...Now I know why you know so many people and things about Hogwarts groups, Parvati," Harry gasped, stunned.

"Hey, you guys!" called a tall dark boy of their year, who walked over to them with a big roll of plastic in his hands.

"What's up, Dean?" Harry asked.

"I made this over summer," Dean explained as he unrolled the banner onto the red and gold carpet of the Gryffindor common room.

All the four Gryffindors gasped at the sight. It was a banner encouraging the Gryffindor Quidditch team with the slogan "Lions Wins Billions" painted on a background that changes from gold to red alternatively. On it, was drawn an extremely real lion balancing on its broom, trying to catch the golden snitch before him.

"Wow," was all Harry could say. He knew the lion represented him, and felt his face heating up and a wide grin spreading across his face.

"See," Dean said proudly, tapping the banner with his wand.

The lion balancing on its broom changed position. This time it was holding a Quaffle in its hand and was aiming for the goal. Each time it goaled, it roared loudly in pride. This alarmed everyone in the room, all the Quidditch team members came over to see what the fuss was about.

"Oh my god," Alicia Spinnet gasped, dropping her books and clapping her hands over her mouth.

Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell, both Chasers of the team, hugged each other staring at the beautiful lion which was now flinging a pole. It hit a black Bludger and knocked off a giant snake curled onto its broom.

"That's absolutely fabulous!!" Hermione praised.

Ginny, who came over, clapped her hands seeing another snake getting flung off.

"Wait till I really fling off the Slytherins," Fred said triumphantly, waving his arms violently, scaring a few first years.

George laughed happy tears as he watched the lion now protecting the Gryffindor goal and flinging the Quaffle away, the snakes hissing angrily.

"I heard you take Magical Arts and Design lessons in addition, don't you?" Hermione said.

"Right," Dean answered, grinning.

"That's really like you," Ron said in a praiseworthy manner, "why don't you join the SAME for the Promotion and somewhat Department?"

"It's Promotion and Publishing Department, Ron," Hermione reminded.

"Yeah, that."

Everyone nodded in approval.

Dean's eyes shined, smiling with his eyes. Standing up, he muttered in an embarrassing tone, "might think of it...I have to... to go, see ya!"

Rolling up the banner, he fled up the dormitory stairs.

"Now I really DO think that joining the Student Association is a good idea," Parvati sighed, "Maybe I will drop cheerleading or dancing."

"Drop the lioness," Ron wanted to say, but Lavender started convincing Parvati not to drop the team.

"Seems like you will have lots of rivals, huh?" George said with a mocking grin to Hermione as all of them went down for breakfast.

Hermione realized he was eyeing her election form, she replied optimistically, "Yes, but if we all get to be members, then isn't that wonderful?"

She packed her form into her bag and thought that she would give it to McGonagall in her Transfiguration lessons.

Fred grinned; he knew Hermione would think that having more people wanting to join was actually a good sign, not a bad one for her.

"You do have confidence, don't you?" Malfoy's sly voice rang through the hall.

All the Gryffindors went silent as they glared at the Slytherin gang coming from their left, with the blonde-haired Malfoy in front.

"Long time no see, Malfoy," Hermione greeted calmly.

"Well, well," Malfoy said, folding his arms, "mudblood saying hello to me."

The Gryffindors took out their wands, so did the Slytherins. Both groups glared at each other with hateful eyes for a while, wand-tips pointing into each other's face.

"Stop it," Hermione said, trying to control her temper, "we don't need to use force all the time. Let's make peace and co-operate with each other, shall we? After all, we are all Hogwarts students."

"We don't want to CO-operate with you, fizzy hair know-it-all," Pansy Parkinson, the pug-faced Slytherin girl hissed.

Harry, Ron, Parvati, Fred, Lee and George said different hexes at once. Pansy flew into the air, screamed hysterically and did a flip-flop. She dropped down and fainted, her face green and her normally straight long hair burnt, even fizzy than Hermione's. That started the fight. Everyone was slashing their wands and yelling curses. Hermione, who tried to avoid the spells and stop people from fighting in the same time, swore she heard them swearing as they yelled curses.

"ENOUGH!!" a harsh and furious voice yelled behind them. All the students' wands flew into the air and landed in an angry Professor McGonagall's hand.

"A hundred and fifty points from each House and a one week detention for all of you!!" Professor McGonagall said, her lips trembling.

The Gryffindors protested yelling that Parkinson called Hermione names; the Slytherins shouted back that the Gryffindors started the fight first.

"I SAID ENOUGH!!" McGonagall yelled at the top of her voice. The students went silent at once, nobody ever saw Professor McGonagall this angry.

"This is unacceptable, all of you! For any reason, no one should use any violence on fellow schoolmates! I will have to take up all your wands for three days in addition to the detentions..."

Many of them whined and growled here.

"AND!"

"They went silent again.

"...I will have to discuss with Professor Dumbledore if we should really have the Students' Association in such an environment... having you all fighting over each other all the time! Now run along, or there will be no time for breakfast."

With that, the professor disappeared up the stairs to her classroom.

"See what you have done."

"Three days! How does she suppose we can take Charms and Transfiguration?"

"We've got Charms today!"

"It's your entire fault! You filthy little ---"

Insults were shouted through the hall as the rival houses walked into the Dining Hall and separated to their own tables.

"What's the matter, Hermione?" Ron asked, seeing Hermione's face so dark that it scared him.

"Didn't you hear what McGonagall said? She might decide not to have the SA!" she exclaimed, her lips trembling, having an erg to cry.

"Don't worry, Hermione. Dumbledore would think that the Students' Association is even more needed once he hears this," Fred comforted her, patting her shoulder as he sat down.

"You're right," Hermione sniffed, thinking that she shall never cry for things like this again.

"Are you going to join?" Ron asked his brother.

Fred raised his eyebrows like McGonagall and replied solemnly, "Haven't got time, there's only time for Quidditch and N.E.W.T.s all the way."

Ron laughed innocently, "What Newts? You aren't going to take them till next year?"

It was then; large flocks of owls flew in through the Dining Hall's windows and landed before their letters and parcels receivers.

"Oh look!" Ginny pointed into the air.

All the Weaslys, Harry, Hermione and Parvati looked up. The Weasly family's old brown owl flew in dangerously and landed before them. Ron and Ginny reached for the parcels and ripped the letters open. The owl seemed to be quite happy to get the heavy load off his legs. Yet, George and Fred didn't reach for a thing.

"What's wrong with you two?" Ron asked in wonder as he tore another letter from the owl's leg.

"THAT," Fred and George replied, both pointing at the red letter tied to the owl's other leg.

Ron dropped his letters. Ginny gasped. For a split second she wondered if her mom had realized about her mobile phone father gave her.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Ron whined.

"It's not for you, stupid," George hissed.

"Huh?"

"Go on; get it," George insisted, "after all, it WAS your idea."

"Stop reminding me that," Fred said grumpily as he took the howler.

Hermione gulped and sank deep into her seat. Even though knowing what was coming next, howlers were always terrifying.

"What did you do this time?" Ginny asked in interest, even though her face was quite white.

Fred didn't reply, instead he ripped the letter as quickly as he could. He let go of the howler just in time before it bit his hand off.

Mrs. Weasly's voice yelled hysterically at the twins, "YOU TWO LITTLE EVIL BRATS!! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING, SKIPPING A YEAR WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!? WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR PARENTS ARE FOR? FAKING OUR SIGNATURES AND GETTING PERMISSION, YOU---"

It continued on and on until it ended with Mrs. Weasly sobbing tears at the top of her voice saying how sad she was to have sons lying and having secrets from her.

Ron went chalk-white, his jaws dropped at the news that his brothers skipped a year for Newts. Ginny kept on blinking her eyes, watching the howler tear itself into pieces and fell onto the table.

Instead, Fred and George were grinning.

George said quite merrily, "at least she didn't say she oppose our ideas, right?"

"Didn't you just say it was MY idea?" Fred mocked his twin.

"You two should be sorry for not telling your mother," Hermione muttered.

Fred grinned bitterly, George just snorted a laugh.

"Hermione, don't tell me you knew?" Ron asked her.

Hermione nodded.

"When I, the brother didn't know!" Ron raged.

"I didn't know either," Ginny sad tonelessly as she picked up a letter, "hey, this is for you two."

Fred and George looked at the letter, which was white.

"Wonder..." George said as he ripped it and read the lines quickly.

"She says she wouldn't allow us doing this and would tell the school and ministry, which she did just now at the top of her voice, unless we apologize for not telling her..."

"Seems like mom REALLY doesn't oppose our ideas..." Fred said in wonder.

"Maybe it's because you said you are planning to go to Economia," Hermione said with a grin.

Fred smiled.

"Maybe Bill helped us say something to mom?" George grinned widely as he read on, "okay I will read on... she says yet she's glad we would think for the family, maybe she's talking about the school fee? ...and start our own jobs. She says she doesn't really approve us opening a joke shop but she is glad we are thinking of our future and says she wants to give us a chance to... TO TRY IT!"

"YES!" Fred shouted gleefully as he took out what else was enclosed in the envelope --- the forms Mr. and Mrs. Weasly themselves signed permitting their two sons, George and Fred Weasly to skip a year at Hogwarts.

"We must go home this Christmas," George said as happily as Fred, as he signed his name in his form, "I suddenly feel like seeing mom!"

"Seems like Dumbledore knew it all," Hermione said, smiling at them in a motherly-way.

They all looked up at the teacher's table and saw Dumbledore winking at them.

Fred and George grinned widely and didn't hesitate a moment to hand Professor Dumbledore their forms.

"Don't tell me you're still mad..." Hermione sighed, shooting looks at Ron at lunch.

Ron groaned as he forked his beef, "Why did they tell YOU?"

"I heard them talking about it accidentally," Hermione lied.

Fred, who was sitting diagonally opposite to them widen his eyes and dropped his spoon.

"Oh..." Ron accepted her answer well and shoved the beef into his mouth, feeling a little bit better.

Hermione mouthed "You know how he acts," to Fred, hiding her moving lips from Ron.

Fred tried to control himself from laughing. Though Hermione felt a bit sad that the secret only she knew as a girl in the four secret-keepers Fred, George, Bill and she, was not a secret anymore, she felt delighted that she and Fred were getting close, even slowly, for sure.

"Huereharyuoconnuketfinumshonsopout?" Ron asked Fred and George with his mouth full of food.

"What did you say?" George asked, frowning.

"He asked where you are gonna get financial support. That's disgusting Ron," Hermione replied.

Ron's ears went red.

"How could anyone interpret that," George laughed in amazement.

"We are still thinking," Fred replied pompously, "So don't ask!"

Days after the Weasly twins got their howler, the whole school was discussing the same topic.

"Who are you going to vote for?"

"I think... Angelina? And Jeffery! He's damn hot!!"

"But he's a Slytherin!"

"There HAS to be a Slytherin in the SA anyway."

Ron looked around at everyone in the common room in amazement.

He turned back to Hermione and Parvati, who were designing banners and posters for themselves, and said, "I can't believe it, there's still a month until the election really starts and everyone is talking about it!"

"Well, the election starts from now actually," Hermione laughed, and then turning to Parvati, "I'm glad you chose to join the Students' Association too. What post are you going for?"

"So you dropped the Cheerleading Group!" Ron exclaimed merrily, "I knew it... shan't join a group like that with that Brown as the captain!"

"I didn't drop that, I dropped the Dance Club lessons instead," Parvati replied, "and I decided to go for the Activity Department, since it seemed most interesting to me!"

"What..? But, Parvati!"

"Don't be pathetic, Ron. It's just a cheerleading group," Hermione hissed.

"With all the guys staring at Parvati's mini-skirt and long legs!? Who's pathetic?" Ron shouted back.

"Ron, you are embarrassing me," Parvati said quite calmly with her face as red as Ron's hair.

"Well, what do you think I would feel having you showing off your..."

Parvati felt like crying.

"Stop it, Ron!" Hermione yelled. Her cheeks were slightly red too. Harry, who had been quiet, stood up and gently pulled Hermione away.

Ron sat down, realizing he had gone quite far, he mumbled, "sorry..."

"He's just worried," Harry whispered to Parvati as Ron fumbled with his fingers, "think about it, having his beautiful girlfriend cheerleading... try to understand him and talk to him."

"Why did you stop me?" Hermione asked Harry as the two walked off towards the Fat Lady's portrait.

"I just thought we should leave them to each other and sort it out," Harry answered, "though I do think Ron was a bit too...well, he alarmed everyone."

"Yeah right..." Hermione sighed.

As they came to the door, the portrait opened and someone came in.

"Oh, professor," Harry gasped.

Professor McGonagall nodded at him and walked into the middle of the room, then she pinned a notice onto the announcement board. Harry and Hermione turned back; Ron and Parvati stopped talking and went over to have a look at it with all the others.

_15th September, 2002_

Dear All Students,

The S.A.M.E. Candidates are as the following:

Gryffindor  
_Brown, Lavender; Granger, Hermione; Johnson, Angelina; Jordan, Lee; Patil, Parvati; Thomas, Dean  
__  
Slytherin  
Baddock, Malcolm; Malfoy, Draco; Parkinson, Pansy; Parkinson, Jeffery; Pucey, Adrian; Zabini, Lisa_

Ravenclaw  
Stewart Ackerly; Boot, Terry; Chang, Cho; Corner, Michael; Patil, Padma

Hufflepuff  
Abbott, Hannah; Bones, Susan; Branstone, Eleanor; Claudwell, Owen; Diggory, Cedric; Turpin, Blaise  
_  
There are a total of twenty-three candidates, nine from 6th and 7th Years, and fourteen from 4th and 5th Years students. Pamphlets of the information of the S.A.M.E. candidates shall be published on the 30th of September, 2000. The Students' Association Membership Election shall be held on the 15th of October, 2000. All students shall have the right to vote for three people from each house, one 6th or 7th year and two 4th or 5th year students._

Thank you for your attention. Have a nice day.

Principal,  
Albus Dumbledore

"MALFOY IS JOING THE ELECTION?" Ron exclaimed, scrubbing his eyes to be sure the name 'Draco Malfoy' was really on the notice.

"I don't find it that surprising though," Harry muttered bluntly.

"I wonder what it would be like working with HIM," Parvati spat.

"We will for sure if we get elected," Hermione uttered, seriously reading the list, "We've got one-quarter a chance to work with him."

"That much?" Ron gasped.

"We all know that there MUST be one 4th or 5th year in the SA. Look at the 4th and 5th Year Slytherin candidates' --- Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson AND Blaise Zabini. Who do you reckon will definitely be supported by their housemates?"

"MALFOY," the four of them said simultaneously.

"That's it," Hermione said, spreading her arms out, raising her eyebrows absurdly, "Money, Power, and his proud 'pure-blood'."

Ron shrugged.

"I'm not being racist," Hermione protested calmly.

"Didn't say you are," Ron replied.

"I don't really mind working with him," Hermione said.

All three of her friends dropped their jaws and popped their eyes wide.

"I mean it! Dumbledore is right, we are school mates and we shan't fight with each other just because we are from different houses and different races, should we?" Hermione asked them, then added, "Though I do feel disgusted with the way he always work his way into things with his parents, like Quidditch."

* * *

Writing the personal information pamphlets, making posters and advertising films... a month passed by so quickly for Hermione, she was always panicking. And it wasn't only her alone. Parvati, who also had to cheerlead and play with her band, was in great panic too. Late past midnight, the two always had to work not only on their homework, which had increased significantly this year especially for Hermione, but also on their propaganda activities for the S.A.M.E., which was impossible to do all alone. Harry and Ron helped them without saying a thing, which the two girls were really thankful of.

Then the big day came.

"First year Hufflepuffs come in! Come in!" Professor Flitwick called, clapping his minuscule clawed hands.

Following their house prefect, the freshmen Hufflepuffs walked into the Dining Hall timidly, all looking surprised at the sight before them. The four long tables in the hall normally had disappeared; instead there were hundreds of desks placed in rows.

"Sit down! Sit down!" Professor Flitwick demanded.

When all of them say down randomly, Flitwick continued, "You shall vote for one 6th or 7th year candidate from each House and one to two 4th or 5th year candidate for each House. Voting tickets ticked more than as instructed shall be considered as abstention from voting. You may now begin."

"Ooooh, please don't tremble Parvati," Lavender Brown whined, "You are passing it to me!"

"You teach me how to stop this!" Parvati exclaimed, hugging herself.

It was near the evening now, all the candidates were staying in the Great Hall waiting for the whole school to finish voting. It will be their turns to vote when all the others finished. Some were like Parvati and Lavender, shivering in their seats or walking around trying to stop the frustration from growing. Some were lying down, dead tired after a whole day of shouting and advertising.

"Ron!" Parvati shouted out at her boyfriend, feeling saved.

Ron ran over to her from the front door, "sorry, I'm late."

"What were you doing when your girlfriend needs you?" Lavender hissed at him.

"I have been trying out for Oliver Wood's post," Ron said bluntly, trying to control his temper in front of Parvati.

"It was today? The Quidditch posts try outs?" Hermione said in wonder.

"Haven't notice it? Since you were too busy getting voted?" Fred laughed, walking in with the Gryffindor Quidditch team after Ron.

Hermione smiled with a blush.

"How was it?" Parvati asked, still shivering.

Ron grinned sourly, "not good."

"Yes, you were," Harry said quickly, "good form, you just need some confidence."

Even though slightly grinning, Ron didn't seem to believe him; instead he looked up at his brothers asking for comments, not grinning any more. But they just grinned back at him.

"Thanks," Ron said to them sarcastically, waving his hand at them.

"We've got to go," Angelina said, wiping dirt off her face, she turned towards the changing rooms, "need to change before hearing the results!"

"I need a real shower!" Fred shouted gleefully.

"Wish you luck everyone!" George exclaimed, waving at all his fellows.

Before leaving, the Weasly twins did a high-five with Lee, who seemed exceptionally nervous until then. Fred held up his thumb at Hermione. She held up hers and grinned.

"Seems people from our year are entering the hall now," Harry said, coming back from the hallway to the Dining Hall, "I'll be back soon. Ron, are you coming?"

"I think I'll stay with Parvati," Ron replied.

"Okay," Harry said with a nod.

He grinned at Hermione and Parvati as encouragement and turned towards the other hallway. His eye caught Cho Chang, who was biting her lower lip and having both her hands on her lap. Cho realized he was looking at her. When Harry wished her luck too, she smiled weakly as a reply. Then Harry went off to the bathroom for a wash.

"Why don't they just let the whole school in and tick, tick, tick?" Lavender said mournfully, her head in her hands.

"Scared?" Malfoy sneered arrogantly, swaggering over to them from where he and his sidekicks were sitting.

Hermione glared at him, but didn't say a thing.

"So you ARE scared, mudblood," Malfoy bragged, smirking at her.

Dean was going to shout at him, but Hermione said at once, "Drop the fight, please."

"So scared you can't even answer-back?" Malfoy laughed.

Hermione frowned as he took a seat beside her. Pansy Parkinson and Zabini from the other side of the hall gasped. Parvati widen her eyes and Lee just gapped his mouth. No one ever saw Malfoy actually sitting beside a Gryffindor.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Hermione asked tonelessly.

"Well..." he said, putting on airs, and examining his finger-nails, "just thought I might tell you something..."

"If you're not going to tell me, I am not going to ask," Hermione said promptly.

Malfoy leaned in to her side, "You won't be in it, Granger," he whispered into her ear.

Hermione almost jumped, she could hear Pansy Parkinson shrieking opposite the hall.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, slightly alarmed.

"Think about it, you chance is minimum...you know it," he breathed into her ear once more.

Hermione tried to straighten her face, "don't you bluff. No one knows the result before it's out. And stop speaking into my ears."

"Hmm...like this?" Malfoy breathed even more, even more disgusting her.

"You'll see...Granger...'when the result is out'."

Hermione frowned and was going to pull HIS ear when Lee came up and violently pushed him away from Hermione.

"Sod off, Malfoy," Lee scowled, "we don't want you here."

Malfoy was prepared for this, but instead of fighting back, he just smiled slyly and said to Hermione again before turning away, "you'll see."

"Oh holy Christ, please!" Lavender exclaimed nervously as all of the candidates waited to hear the result from outside the crowded Dining Hall.

Everyone including them had voted and the votes were counted. They were told to stay outside until there was summoning.

"Brown, Lavender, 257 votes!" Professor Dumbledore announced at the top of his voice.

The students clapped loudly.

Lavender dropped into her seat. Hermione had her eyes closed and her hands together.

"Granger, Hermione, 334 votes!" Professor Dumbledore announced on, "Johnson, Angelina, 300 votes! Jordan, Lee, 583 votes! Patil, Parvati, 521 votes! Thomas, Dean, 362 votes!"

The students clapped on.

Hermione suddenly felt all her muscles relaxing, something went blank inside her.

Dumbledore didn't cease announcing, "Baddock, Malcolm, 172 votes! Malfoy, Draco, 257 votes!"

"Did you hear that, Hermione?" Ron shouted joyously, peeking into the Hall full of students, "Malfoy has a hundred fewer votes than you!"

Hermione didn't reply. All the other candidates and their friends who were there looked away from Ron.

"Hermione?"

Ron...Stop it please..." Parvati whined, tugging at Ron's T-shirt to pull him away from Hermione, who wasn't speaking.

"Why? This means Hermione has a chance to join the SA with you, while Malfoy don't!"

"You butthead, don't you know the rules?" Lavender sobbed hysterically.

"Wh..." Ron turned around furiously, confused totally.

"Both me and Hermione failed!" Lavender sobbed louder than ever.

"HUH?" Ron exclaimed in terror.

Harry pulled Ron aside, while Parvati gripped Hermione's hand hard, in means to comfort her.

"Ron, you forgot something..." Harry started to explain when they were out of view.

"Why Hermione failed when she has a lot more votes than Malfoy?" Ron demanded.

"Listen," Harry said, shaking Ron to make him listen to him.

"Only two of 4th or 5th years will be chosen from each house...Parvati and Dean had more votes than Hermione. That means...it means even if she has more votes than anyone from any other house as long it is not Gryffindor, it doesn't matter. She... she failed."

Ron was dumbstruck at the news.

Dumbledore's voice was heard faintly from the slightly opened door of the Dining Hall, announcing that Cedric Diggory got 792 votes.

Ron gulped nervously. Realizing what he had done just now, he let go of Harry and ran over to Hermione.

"Hermione...oh I," Ron tried to apologize.

But Hermione stood up quickly and to Ron's surprise, smiled at him.

"It's okay. Anyway, thank you, Ron," Hermione said, "thank you for all the help you gave me and Parvati those sleepless nights... You really helped a lot and I really, really appreciate that."

Ron again stood there and gapped his mouth as he watched Hermione walking over to Harry.

"You too, Harry..." she thanked him with a big hug, "thanks so much..."

"Hermione..." Harry started to say, feeling awkward.

"I'm okay, honest," Hermione said to him.

She let go of Harry, still smiling.

"Hermione, you..." Harry started again, but he was interrupted by the cheering crowd inside the Dining Hall.

"Let's welcome the First Hogwarts Students' Association Members in!" it was clearly Professor Flitwick's squeaky voice.

The Dining Hall's grand door banged open and a strong force suddenly pulled the ten chosen candidates into the hall: Parvati Patil, Dean Thomas, Lee Jordan, Cedric Diggory, Cho Chang, Jeffery Parkinson, Draco Malfoy, Hannah Abbott, Padma Patil, and Michael Corner.

"Uooof!" Michael Corner gasped as he was pulled in; the girls screamed and gasp in surprise; while Lee Jordan was laughing as he floated into the room at high speed.

All students welcomed them, giving them a big hand. The door was left open, but no one in the Dining Hall realized this because everyone was looking at the chosen candidates, who were now standing before the teachers and trying to straight out their clothes and feelings.

"Why didn't Dumbledore let you guys in?" Ron asked to nobody in particular.

"Maybe he knows what is happening out here..." Harry sighed, looking around to see a number of them crying or kicking walls, "maybe he left the door open so we can go in without being realized if we want to."

He realized Hermione was sitting behind the open door, leaning onto the door, seeming to be listening to what was happening inside. She was expressionless; she didn't seem to be sad or happy from the outside. Harry wondered if she was really listening to what the SA members were saying to thank everyone in the Dining Hall.

"Should I go over and talk to her?" Harry thought.

But from Hermione's previous actions, he could feel that she didn't want to talk about it to anyone. He decided to respect that and sat quietly beside her. For the first time, Harry didn't jump over and take her away to talk alone. There was no urge like before, and Harry then knew, that he had really broken off his special feelings for her.

Ron looked confused as if he didn't know if he should celebrate or not. He walked over to the door and watched Parvati starting to cry on the stage. Ron couldn't make out if she was sad or happy. He watched until Parvati finished her speech, and clapped hands for her. Then he sat beside Harry, shooting looks at Hermione, worried.

* * *

"Where are the S.A.M.s?" Seamus asked as he hanged a few more balloons and dangling colorful strings onto the wall.

"They are still downstairs. I think Parvati said they had to discuss how to work the SA and elect which post to take among them." Ron replied, curling a few of the strings onto his finger, "she said they won't be back until ten."

"Oh, I thought we could celebrate for them," Seamus sighed, waving his wand. The balloons in his hands started to fill themselves up with air.

You dare with all those hysterical crying around?" Ron asked.

Seamus looked up from his growing balloons and watched Lavender crying her eyes out with some other Gryffindor girl in her arms. He looked around for the other two girls who failed. He found Angelina solemnly plotting Quidditch tactics at the other end of the room.

"At least, Johnson is fine," Seamus said absent-mindly, ""Where's Granger?"

"She's in her room," Harry sighed, flipping a page of a book about Quidditch

"You reckon she's okay?" Ron asked in apprehension.

Harry just waved his head.

Parvati returned to her dormitory past midnight, looking both weary and content. When she saw Hermione's bed with her curtains closed, she gulped.

"Hermione?" Parvati whispered as she picked up the curtains gently, "You still awake?"

Hermione was lying in her bed sideways, having her face turned towards the wall. She didn't move in her covers.

"Maybe tomorrow..." Parvati sighed and let go of Hermione's bed curtains.

The curtains waved gently in the wind for a while, Hermione opened her eyes slowly when Parvati turned off her bedside lamp.

"Why didn't I say 'yes'?" she whispered to herself.

She laid on her bed in the same position and did not move. Her mind, her heart, were tossing and turning inside her. Why can't I just sit up and say 'congratulations'? Why can't I do as I did to Harry and Ron?

She could hear Parvati snoring gently beside her. Parvati was asleep.

Annoyed, Hermione sat up slowly and picked up her alarm clock. It was three in the morning. Ruffling her bushy hair, she decided to get a drink downstairs, hoping that would cleanse her complicated feelings.

She was surprised to find someone there in the common room. Beside the dying fire, one of the Weaslys had his back to her, seeming to be reading a book. Hermione felt that she didn't need to walk over to be sure who it was. But she did, leaning into his view.

Fred Weasly looked up at her and smiled his friendly smile, "hey," he said.

"Hey..." Hermione replied, feeling a bit odd that he didn't ask her why she was there at this time of the night.

But she didn't want to be asked. She was grateful he didn't and thought that she wouldn't want to ask him the same question as well.

Fred put down his book.

"Oh, no, no, go on," Hermione insisted, not wanting to disturb him.

"It's okay, I was feeling tired of reading all about Elves history. I don't even feel familiar with their lives," Fred said with a grin.

Hermione smiled. Fred wasn't treating her as if she was a bomb that was about to cry out madly; instead he seemed to act like always, which made Hermione feel comfortable to stay. She had completely forgotten her reason why she was there.

"Haven't seen you since you've been waiting to vote, right?" Fred spoke on, as if to continue conversation.

Hermione just nodded. That reminded her of the Keeper try-outs.

She asked, "Would you let Ron in the Quidditch team?"

"Weeeeell, I'm not supposed to tell anybody yet. And it's not really my decision to choose him or not... But he's a good choice, being stable if he's not nervous and all. Though being nervous makes all matters worse in a match... he'll get over it."

Hermione understood that meant Ron would probably in the team. She grinned, Fred grinned back.

"And..." Hermione asked again, "did you hear which posts would Lee, Dean and Parvati get in the SA?"

Fred smiled gently, then picking up his wand, he said, "Accio notice!"

The newest notice on the house notice board tore itself off the pins nailing it onto the board and floated into Fred's hand.

"Here."

Hermione thanked him and read the notice carefully:

_ The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
Student's Association Membership_

_Dear All Students,_

The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Student's Association Membership had been chosen as follows:

President: Cedric Diggory (H) Vice President: Lee Jordan (G) Treasurer: Michael Corner (R) Secretariat: Jeffery Parkinson (S)

Extra-Curricular Activities Department President: Parvati Patil (G) Vice President: Draco Malfoy (S)

Promotion and Publishing Department President: Cho Chang (R) Vice President: Dean Thomas (G)

Health and Environment Improvement Department President: Hannah Abbott (H)  
Vice President: Padma Patil (R)

Congratulations to all those who were elected member of the Students' Association. Students wanting to join the Students' Association as department idea-men shall contact the department presidents. All 4th to 7th years are welcomed. Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely, Principal Albus Dumbledore

(G) Gryffindor, (H) Hufflepuff, (R) Ravenclaw, (S) Slytherin

"So Parvati and Dean got to be what they wanted to be," Hermione said in comfort.

"Lee did too," Fred added with a laugh, "he said he knew he couldn't be the president since Cedric the 'handsome, smart, nice, popular guy' is around. So he aimed for the Vice, and he got it."

Hermione stared at the paper in her hands. Thinking about Parvati and everyone else getting the posts they had expected or wanted, and seeing that her name wasn't on this list made the complicated feeling arouse in her again.

"If you need to, don't hold it back," Fred said silently.

Hermione didn't reply. She was still staring into the paper. There was silence between them for a long while. Fred stood up and turned around. He went over to get a drink at the fridge, which was behind his sofa. When he was back with two glasses, he saw there were tear stains on the notice in Hermione's trembling hands. Fred slowly put down the glasses and sat down beside her. Hermione wiped her tears, trying to say thanks to Fred for the drink, but nothing came out of her throat. Instead, Fred put his right arm behind her and patted her head. Even more tears formed in Hermione's eyes. She bit her lower lip, and looked away from Fred.

She had tried to stop herself from crying, from doing anything that would hurt her friends. She didn't want to show her pain in front of Parvati, Ron and even Harry. She didn't want them to feel sad for things that they should celebrate for. But it wasn't working. She wasn't modest enough to congratulate her best friend. She tried to control her emotions. But sitting in front of Fred, they just all burst out without stopping.

"I couldn't," Hermione broke off her barrier at last, confessing, "I... couldn't say con...congratulations to them. I felt so, soo...miserable. When...when I heard that Dean got more votes than me...I knew ...I couldn't..."

She covered her wet face with her small hands and sobbed into them. Fred ceased patting her head; he slowly put his arm onto her shoulder and gently gripped her arm.

More tears started to form in her eyes, "But I feel even more...more painful when I actually...felt jealous of them! I ..."

Hermione couldn't speak anymore, her tears blinded her eyes and all her sense concentrated onto the pain that was laid deep in her soul. She didn't even realize that she had dropped onto Fred's shoulder and was crying into his chest. Fred held her close and let her cry her feelings out.

All the lights on the common room walls automatically died out as it was near sunrise. The dying flames in the fireplace were the only light source for them.

Fred waited; he waited until Hermione started to calm down. He looked out of the window on the opposite wall and saw that the horizon was turning into a yellowish-blue. It was near dawn now. When he came back to his sense, he realized Hermione was sniffing her nose, obviously calmed down a lot.

Fred whispered, "These elections...are mostly based on how popular the ones being elected are...far more than their abilities..."

Hermione blinked her red swollen eyelids slowly, still in his arms.

"You were just unlucky, Hermione. Parvati is active in many school communities...she got Padma's friends as support too...Lee is known by everyone for he's the announcer...Dean had as much chance as you; both of you don't join much communities. You both had advantages like you being known as the smartest girl in your grade and Dean is a well known artist...You both had social circles nearly as big as the other's. Except...the Raves and the Hufflepuffs had Dean to make banners for them too...which is another advantage since he strived for the Promotion Department...You were just unlucky."

Hermione nodded. She had realized this already when she studied the list of candidates. She had felt that she was in dangerous position but she didn't want to lose hope. That was why she was nervous when Malfoy said that her chance was small; she knew.

"Hermione...if everyone knew you like how I do..." Fred stopped there, saying no further.

Hermione turned to look at him after crying for so long, Fred was not facing her, but his eyes were glancing gently at her.

"You'll be okay," he said, "when you see that."

Fred 'Accio'ed the notice into his open hand and said another spell. Hermione's tear-stains disappeared. He showed Hermione the last couple of lines of the note:

"Students wanting to join the Students' Association as department idea-men shall contact the department presidents. All 4th to 7th years are welcomed."

Hermione raised her eyelashes, and mouthed, "idea-men?"

"I heard from Lee...idea-men are people who give ideas to the department. They are members of the SA too."

Hermione smiled at last. Fred grinned back at her. She cried tears of happiness as she hugged him, thanking him for everything he did.

She slowly felt the cloud accumulated in her heart disappearing. There were still ways to join the Student Association after all.


	17. Just Because You Were There

17 Just Because You Were There

Parvati woke up early the next morning, feeling sorrowful. Holding her towel in her hand, she went to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. She opened the door of the washroom and came face to face with Hermione, who just finished washing her face.

"Oh." Parvati gasped, not really expecting her. She thought Hermione was still in bed.

"Good morning," Hermione said with a smile, for being President of the Extra-Curricular Activities Department (ECAD)!"

Parvati beamed, she could see Hermione was smiling normally. It wasn't the one she had seen Hermione showing Ron and Harry the day before. But then, when she thought of how Hermione felt, she felt sorrowful again.

"Hermione, I really, really didn't expect this.I wasn't even thinking. I am sorry.I should have stayed with you. I.I can't."

Parvati started to cry, the load on her heart burst, "I can't work without you.."

"Me too," Hermione said with a grin.

Parvati looked up astonished. She gapped her mouth, "but."

Hermione beamed at her and exclaimed, "Parvati Patil! You are president of the ECAD, aren't you? You should know that I can join in as idea-men!"

Parvati widen her eyes, remembering. Hermione giggled.

"So.will you take me?" Hermione asked slyly.

Parvati just hugged her and nodded her head vigorously.

"Oh by the way, you are going to work with Malfoy, right?"

"Yes, I HAVE TO work with him," Parvati said grumpily.

"I am sorry for you." Hermione sympathized, even though if it were her, she wouldn't mind.

"But don't worry. As long I'm there, he would do no harm to you," Hermione said proudly.

"Why?"

"Coz he will be too busy insulting 'the little mudblood'!"

Parvati made a long face and laughed.

Hermione didn't only join the ECAD; she also became idea-girl of the Health and Environmental Improvement Department (HEID). In weeks, her idea for S.P.E.W. which she suggested during meetings was accepted by the HEID. She was in total agitation.

"Activities for SP.E.W would be held on March and April! We're going to do petitions and demonstrations. Also." Hermione chattered on excitedly to her three friends as the Gryffindor fourth year students headed for double Herbology classes on an early November Monday.

"Yeah, yeah," Ron said reluctantly.

Parvati giggled as Hermione glared at him.

"Oh yeah, do you know that the Swimming Contest idea was accepted by McGonagall?" Harry asked Hermione.

"And the valentine activity?" Ron added excitedly.

Both Harry and Ron were the ECAD's idea-men too. Harry decided after thinking carefully that he wanted to make time for the SA since he realized he wouldn't have time for it next year when he would be facing O.W.L.s. Ron got to be the Quidditch Keeper and was putting all his spare time in practicing his Keeper skills (which Captain Angelina Johnson insisted him to). He joined the ECAD only for fun.

"Really? No, I didn't. You know I missed a meeting last week, since it overlapped with the HEID meetings. It's good to hear that!" Hermione exclaimed.

The Swimming Contest was half her idea, she was really glad it got a pass.

"But she still has doubts with the Christmas Ball thing.says that the time period is a bit too late," Parvati grumbled, "you know she's quite strict about time.next time I would tell her that the live bands are equally late.must convince her since the Ball was one of the activities everyone in the ECAD agreed to have!"

"What was the other that we all reached a consensus?" Ron asked, as they came to the narrow road passing through the Hogwarts' grape vineyards.

"The Valentine thing, of course!" Hermione replied dreamily.

"Thinking about Fr." Parvati started to say, but Hermione stopped her just in time before anyone else heard it.

Hermione wanted to keep her feelings towards Fred as a secret. After having everyone using her relationship with Oliver Wood as a free time rumor topic for years, she wanted to have some secret to her own, something she could enjoy for herself and not needing to feel uncomfortable with everyone's opinions about her or who she loved.

They turned a corner and came to face a mob of seniors coming from the greenhouse. It was the Gryffindor seventh years. Parvati poked Hermione hard in the elbow, but Hermione didn't need it. She could see Fred Weasly at the back of the crowd.

Suddenly, she felt nervous; she hadn't come face to face with him since that night she cried in his arms. The scene suddenly appeared in her mind and she felt her face getting hot. She was very embarrassed for crying in front of him after thinking rationally the next morning after she cried. But in other words, she was elated that he comforted her that much after having saying that he couldn't be her boyfriend.

The Fourth Years made way for the Seventh Years to pass through the vineyards and waited until they all passed them. Ron was talking away with Harry about the next Quidditch training, seeming not to notice it was Fred and George's class. The two boys weren't yet used to the fact the twins were in a seventh year class.

Fred was looking down at his books and was rambling slightly, seeming to be thinking about something. He looked up when he came to them. He stared straight into Hermione's eyes for a second, as if he was surprised to see her. Then he whispered hi as he walked pass her. Hermione frozen and didn't come back to her sense until Parvati called her thrice.

"Too happy to say a thing?" Parvati teased naughtily.

Hermione didn't even protest. All she did was grin.

That evening in the library, Hermione found Parvati scratching and writing something onto a piece of tattered parchment.

"What are you reading, Parvati? Homework.?" Hermione asked curiously, coming back from the washroom.

Parvati scratched out another mistake from the piece of parchment and replied, "A recruitment sketch for the Winter Swimming Contest the week after the next, I have to check for mistakes before having the Publishing Dep. to make the advertisement for us."

"How's it going?" Dean came over and asked Parvati in a whisper, with Cho Chang, President of the PAPD of SA, following him.

"Quite good.except you mistaken the dates, Dean," Parvati giggled quite loudly.

"Shuuush!!!" Madam Pince hissed angrily from the counter.

"Uoops," Parvati said, clasping her mouth with her hand. Hermione stood up and disappeared into the passage between rows of bookshelves.

"So. it's okay now?" Cho asked her.

"Yes," Parvati replied, "the design's good so that's not needed to be changed."

Dean beamed at his design and then shined his eyes gleefully at her, explaining that was what Julia Roberta, a Hufflepuff Promotional Art and Design Organization (PADO) representative and he thought up for the Winter Swimming Contest. Hermione came back unnoticed, heaving a stack of books in her arms. After Dean and Cho had left with the sketch of the advertisement, Parvati glanced at Hermione, who was busily flipping through a thick old book now.

"What are YOU doing?" Parvati asked.

"Um.checking," Hermione replied with a blush.

Parvati jokingly forced Hermione to pick up the book so she can see the book cover. It was written "Information of Famous Schools of Wizards and Witches Worldwide written by Beathas June"

"What's this for?" Parvati asked in astonishment.

Hermione didn't reply, instead she blushed even more and flipped to the page marked 'E'. There she found what she wanted on the top, "Economia Collage of Economy and Business, found by Professor Ora Monay and Professor Jilt Monay in B.C. 201," and smiled.

"Uh huh," Parvati said mockingly, "should have known."

But Hermione didn't laugh; she was scanning through the lines and realized where Economia was located in. Economia was in the United States, a long way from Britain, or London.or Hogwarts. She finally really understood what Fred meant by he's only staying for half a year. He was leaving for the USA.

"He'll be studying for.what.two years?" Parvati asked, not noticing Hermione widening her eyes in shock again, "and George's going somewhere in the south."

But Hermione wasn't listening where George was going to.

Two years.? Hermione felt hollow suddenly, "No. that's too long."

The poster asking people to join the Swimming Contest was up the day after that. Everyone crowded around the notice and discussed if they'd join.

"Winter Swimming Gala.? And look at this course around the Great Lake!" Fred shouted in amazement.

"I can't believe it.this course is almost a kilometer long! Oh boy, oh boy! At last, something other than Quidditch in Hogwarts!" George gasped merrily, already signing his name on the notice.

Fred didn't hesitate to sign his name under the course "Around the Lake" either, he loved new challenges. Hermione giggled as he signed Forge Weasly instead of Fred Weasly. She realized George wrote Gred Weasly, too.

"I used to swim at the Great Lake when I was in Year 3 and finished a round in a minute, and." George said bossily.

"And fought the Giant Squid. Yeah, yeah, yeah, heard that thousands of times!" Ron said sarcastically.

Ginny laughed from beside.

"Oh no, we've got to leave for Herbology!" George exclaimed.

Fred waved his wand and muttered something. A moment later both their Herbology things flew down the dormitory stairs. Hermione swore she heard someone screamed in fear upstairs as Fred and George prepared to leave. They were out of the common room in a matter of seconds.

"Don't we have Herbology after Potions today?" Parvati whispered to Hermione.

Hermione gasped, she was again going to have a Herbology lesson after Fred!

Sure enough, after Potions when Hermione's class headed for the greenhouse, they came face to face with the Seventh Years again. This time Fred smiled at her as they walked pass, Hermione felt her heart thumping so fast she wondered if it were going to jump out of her throat. She simply smiled back, almost in an ear-to-ear grin.

Since then, Hermione realized that almost every time she was having Herbology lessons, she would bump into Fred before or after them.

Out of curiosity, she asked Professor Sprout for her classes schedule in a week. Hermione scanned through the weekdays and realized that she was having one double Herbology lessons before Fred on Thursday and two after him on Monday and Wednesday. She WAS having all her Herbology classes with Fred's class before or after her.

Hermione equally loved all the subjects she was studying. Yet since she found out this fact concerning Fred, she enjoyed going to the greenhouse more than ever. Fred seemed to realize that he was meeting her almost every time he came out or reached the greenhouse too. When they walked pass, they would either stare at each other feeling overwhelmed or awkward; or from time to time, smiled and greeted each other like the first Wednesday she realized that Fred was having classes before her. It became the root of her happiness every week.

"Go, go Gryffindor!!!!!!!!" Lee Jordan shouted through the microphone he was gripping hard.

The Gryffindor audience shouted excitedly as the bell rang, the swimmers dived into the Great Lake and started swimming towards the same direction. The first round of the Swimming Contest had begun.

Audiences stood or sat on the railings of the school building above the Great Lake. It was specially made for this swimming contest. Students from different Houses were allowed to sit with each other. This was the first ever sport event that all four houses competed in the same time.

"There go the swimmers for the one hundred meter race! In the lead is Jillian Boot, queen of sports of Ravenclaw cutting through the water! She's fast, she's nimble, she's --- OH, here comes a Gryffindor speeding pass Jill! It's Sabrina Jones; I think she was Angelina's cousin's cousin.am I wrong?"

"LEE JORDAN, CONTINUE YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT!!" McGonagall bellowed furiously beside him.

"Sorry professor, anyway, back to the race. Jones is tying with Jillian now; they are fighting against each other furiously! They are passing through the obstacles of floating weeds, now diving below the next barrier - jinxed logs. They're still tying, with the other contestants racing after them! Ten meters to the finishing line, nine, eight, seven. WAIT! Who's that --- "

A girl with a red swimming cap thrust past the goal faster than the two girls racing beside her. They were only a second slower, but the referees had unmistakably saw it was this unknown girl who goaled. The crowd gulped as they stared into the Lake from above. The Slytherins sulked already knowing it was a Gryffindor not a fellow Slytherin. It was Hermione Granger.

There was uproar that the Gryffindor took lead once the event started. Gryffindor got 10 marks for having Hermione and Jones in 1st and 3rd place. Ravenclaw got 6 points, while Slytherin and Hufflepuff both got 2 marks. The race continued.

"I didn't know you were this fast," Sabrina gasped, panting for breathe as she came out from the water.

"I didn't know it too, Sab," Hermione replied with a blush, she never swam this fast in her life. It was the thought of having everyone staring at her that gave her the motive to rush without thinking much.

"Great swimming with you two," Jill said modestly with a wide grin to the two Gryffindors, rising onto the bank.

Hermione and Sab grinned back.

"You joined the 100 meter race?" Parvati asked Hermione astonishingly when she came out of the water, "I didn't see you on the list."

"I just joined," Hermione replied with a grin, taking a gold-trimmed red towel from Parvati, "There was this last moment swimmers calling this morning.and I signed my name, just thought I might at least get one point for our House."

All students who joined and finished the course no matter winning or not were granted one point to their house.

"And you got 6!" Parvati laughed, "It's almost Fred and George's turn," she reminded with a smirk, pointing her thumb at the starting line.

Hermione grinned back at Parvati embarrassingly yet cheerfully. She realized she left her slippers near the starting line, she skipped over to where they were..where Fred was.

She slipped her feet into her slippers behind where the next pile of contestants was, and she looked down at the boy sitting before her. He was wrapping a wet towel onto his head, as if to cool down his head which was surely hot in the scorching sun. It was a funny sight to Hermione, she guessed who it was and messed his hair up with her hand, "Hey, Fred!" she greeted jokingly.

Fred was taken by surprise; he pulled the towel off his head and looked up at her from his seat. Hermione realized that Fred at first was looking quite annoyed, but when he saw her, he widen his round eyes and grinned awkwardly, as if totally not expecting it was her.

After a funny awkward moment, he praised, "Congratulations in the first round, hope you can win in the next!"

Hermione blushed. Fred was talking about the Final.

"Thanks. I'll be watching you there," she said, pointing at the railings on the side of the Great Lake.

He grinned at her, "Wait till you see me get that Cup," Fred laughed, nodding towards the "best performance in boys" cup.

"I'm looking forward to it," Hermione replied, smiling slyly at him. Then she walked away, feeling slightly high.

"Hey, Hermione," Harry greeted her as he pulled off his red swimming cap with Ron beside him.

"Harry! How was it?" Hermione asked with a wide grin still on her face.

"I came in second. I couldn't believe Eleanor Branstone can be THAT speedy!" Harry exclaimed.

"Yeah.THE Eleanor Branstone," Ron said, waving his head, "the study-it- all."

"Just because he likes reading books doesn't mean he can't swim!" Hermione protested.

"Oh yeah, almost forgot YOU came in first too," Ron said, rolling his eyes.

Hermione was going to say something sarcastic when suddenly from behind her came a familiar voice, "Congratulations, Harry!"

Harry's face went scarlet as he saw who it was, his lips slightly twitching upwards.

Hermione turned around to face Cho Chang, who came running towards them, wearing a silky navy swimsuit.

"What do you mean congratulations when Harry didn't win?" Ron asked, a little bit annoyed.

"I saw you swimming; it was a pity you didn't come in first when you were only a little bit later than Eleanor... But you can enter the final, right?" Cho spoke on, ignoring Ron's compliment.

Harry nodded nervously as Cho's hand slightly touched his arm. He tried to keep on talking to her asking how she was in her match, with all the time blushing hard. Ron tried to interrupt them twice but Hermione stopped him.

"What!?" Ron shouted at her, steaming a bit because he got ignored again.

"Your brothers are swimming, that's what," Hermione hissed at him, pulling his face towards the lake.

Then remembering something she looked around searching for Ginny. She was nowhere to be seen. Hermione sighed in relief thinking how Ginny might feel seeing Harry like this, then took another glance at Harry and Cho, who were chatting excitedly now. She didn't dislike Cho, even though she felt sorry for Ginny. But it seemed talking to Cho was what Harry wanted so she simply stopped Ron from disturbing them.

"It's not your business, Hermione," her mind told her.

"Ready?"

The seventh year swimmers walked up to the bank side by side. George puffed his chest out while Fred grinned mischievously at him, taking a glance at the side railings in the same time. Jeffery Parkinson beside him pulled his forest-green rubber swimming cap onto his head.

"Set!"

They stretched their arms out pointing towards the water surface. The swimmers solemnly went dead silent, only the cheering from the railings was heard. Then there was suddenly a .

"BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!"

The starting bell was ringed, and then there were continuous splashing of water with the red heads disappearing into the water in lead.

"There goes George Weasly! He's pushing forward and Fred is speeding up to him. Oh GOD George broke THROUGH the jinxed logs without diving under them --- GO WEASLYS!

"That's supposed to be a foul!!" someone behind Lee Jordan bellowed.

Lee ignored him and continued "Then there is Jeffery Parkinson the pug- head's brother ---"

"LEE JORDAN, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU ---"

"No.no cursing please, Professor! E.e-hem, back to the race, Parkinson from Slytherin is coming in third! He does have a good form, no doubt. Now they are turning at the sharp bent of the lake, they'll soon be swimming through the shallow waterfall if I haven't mistaken --- FRED WEASLY OUTRAN HIS TWIN! Now he's in lead with Jeffery and George tying with each other ---"

Hermione squealed in delight as she saw Fred swimming faster and faster, outdistancing both the second and third behind him. Ron eyed her in confusion while Harry, who just came over after a long talk with Cho came back to his sense with Hermione's high-toned squeal.

"What's the shouting about?" he asked Ron in amusement, his cheeks still slightly hot.

"Well, Fred just outran George and Parkinson.then she went all excited. Mental," Ron sighed, waving his head, "that's my other brother he outran!"

Harry raised his eyebrows and eyed Hermione suspiciously as now she was leaning forward on the railing trying to see if Fred was going to win. Harry could see she wasn't only high, she had her cheeks as red as apples.

"FRED AND GEORGE,  
GRED AND FORGE,  
WEASLYS ARE THE BEST!!  
HUMAN BLUDGERS,  
SUPER SWIMMERS  
OVERRUN THE REST!!"  
GO, GO GRYFINNDOR,  
WE SHALL BEAT THE REST!

The Gryffindors were shouting and waving their arms frantically. All the other houses were shouting their throats out too, praying their house members would win. Last five meters to the finishing line, George and Fred were tying in lead and Parkinson from Slytherin and Owen Claudwell from Hufflepuff were pushing against each other at the twins' feet.

"There goes our faithful Weasly --- Ahhh!! I can't distinguish the twins from each other any more! Anyway, Fred or George Weasly is now first in place five meters to goal with Fred or George Weasly again a few inches slower than Fred or George --- what am I talking about? GO GRYFFINDOR! Then there's Owen and Jeffery still pushing against each other ---- OWEN got drowned!"

Hufflepuffs booed loudly at Jeffery, he had obviously hit Owen in the face with his fist. Savers being ready around the lake flew on brooms at top speed to where Owen was floating and took him out of the water. Students gasped fearfully at the sight he had fainted and was bleeding on the nose.

"That has to be a foul!" Susan Bones of Hufflepuff and member of S.A.M. shouted in fright, she was holding back her tears and frowning deeply as she watched Jeffery passed through the goal line third in place.

As the drenched and weary contestants climbed onto the bank one by one, the Judges asked the Weasly twins which one was Fred and which one was George. Fred pulled off his swimming cap and leaned down with his hands on his knees. He waved his head left and right rapidly; water droplets that were in his hair flew everywhere. He wasn't listening, he was still very out of breathe.

George replied the judge bluntly, "I'm George, and I'm second place in right?"

"No you're not. You're first in place," the Judge said.

Fred shot his head up at this, he gasped unbelievably, "But I swam passed the finishing line before George!"

"You broke through the jinx logs, that was a foul," the Judge said to him solemnly, then turning to Jeffery and said that HE too did foul hurting fellow contestants, and dismissed him.

"I didn't!!" Fred protested in rage, waving his arms frantically at the Judge.

"I dived under them as instructed! What the hell are you talking about?!"

"George Weasly?" the Judge asked, raising his eyebrows at George.

George looked confused, he didn't remember diving under anything, but he had no idea if he broke through anything either. He had been full of thought to win as he swam.

"I don't know if I did, maybe." George started saying when he was cut off by another Judge.

"We need a judge here!"

"I'll be with you guys later, sort yourselves out before finding me," saying that he left at top speed.

"Now what?" Fred said under his breathe furiously. He must win this race to get the cup.

"You shoo you di'n't b'eak foo de 'ogs?" Owen came asking, his jaw wrapped with bandages, blood still oozing out of his wounds.

"What did you say?" George asked, confused.

Fred widened his eyes at him and asked Owen in astonishment, "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? I didn't fist you in the race, right?"

"Jeffery Parkinson, the asshole, fisted him," Harry said in an annoyed tone as he came walking towards them, wearing only an over-sized T-shirt and red swimming briefs.

Hermione and Ron came running from behind Harry, looking very worried.

"What happened?" Hermione asked Fred as she panted for breathe; then she stared at Owen's wounds and dropped her jaw. She didn't though it was this bad.

"I thought Fred passed the goal first but the boards," Ron said as he almost choked, pointing at the four House marks board floating high above the lake. It showed that Gryffindor got 6 more marks yet the name of who was first in place wasn't Fred. It was written "Should Be George Weasly".

"Though it's okay for me since Gryffindor is still winning," Ron said on, standing up straight now.

"It's not okay for me," Fred muttered again, "are you sure you didn't break through those logs?" he turned to George and asked, "What kind of joke are those judges playing on us?"

"Ahhh...actually" Hermione cleared her throat, "George DID break through the logs, Fred didn't."

"How would you know it was Fred, not George?" Ron asked her suspiciously.

Harry raised his eyebrows and stared at her, though Hermione didn't saw it. Fred was watching Hermione intently, his eyes shining, he was quite sure she knew even though he didn't say that out loud.

"I witnessed it, I was watching carefully," Hermione said to all of them then to George, her cheeks slightly pink when she said she was watching 'carefully', "you didn't only break through it, you pushed the logs away as you swam."

George widened his eyes, he suddenly remembered himself grabbing something in his way near the beginning of the race and pushing through it.

"Let's tell the Judge then," George said with a sigh, "After all, Fred WAS faster than me, even though you were only a teeny-weeny little bit faster," He said, glancing at his twin now with a naughty grin.

Fred smiled at him, wiping his wet hair with a red towel.

"Aren't you sad your points wouldn't be counted?" Ron asked George in disbelief, his eyes wide, "Not even the one point that you would have got for joining would be counted because you did a foul!"

"Hello, Ronnikins? This is my twin!" George laughed, flinging his arm onto Fred's bare shoulder.

Fred grinned widely as he lowered his towel onto his neck and put his arm onto his twin's shoulder too. Ron frowned at his baby name.

"And, after all," George said solemnly, "I did foul."

After having telling the judges about them, George patted his twin's shoulder and said, "Win for me, my boy," before heading for the changing room. He didn't have any races left until after lunch.

Fred grinned back, his thumb held up; he was going to join another race before lunch - the free style 100 meters race. He turned and bumped right into Lavender Brown who squealed and ran pass him in panic without looking at him, Fred got shocked for a while and turned around to look at her as she fled into the girl's changing room. When Fred turned back to where he was heading, he found Hermione standing at the railings staring at the race that was being held then.

He went over to her and realized her hands were shaking slightly as she gripped the metal railings nervously, her eyes almost not blinking at all as she stared far away, not realizing he was there. Fred recalled that she was going to be in her final in a while.

He gave her a caring pat on the head and walked pass.

Hermione had been in her trance for a while feeling nervous for her next race until she felt Fred's hand ruffling her hair. She looked up to see no one and turned to find Fred flipping his towel onto his shoulder as he walked pass, his back facing her. She touched where he patted her with her hand and wondered for a second why he did that. Feeling delighted, she didn't realize that her nervousness had disappeared.

"Final call for 4th Year Girls Free Style 100 meters Final, final call for 4th Year Girls Free Style 100 meters Final," the microphone announced.

Hermione gulped as she sat down near the bank of the lake with other 4th Year swimmers.

"Hey Hermione," Sabrina greeted as she came skipping merrily.

Hermione turned to look up at Sabrina who was looking confident, and replied, "Hey Sab."

"Seems the chance is high, huh?" Sabrina said as she sat down beside Hermione.

"You're swim...swimming beside my line again?" Hermione asked as she tumbled over the words, trying to ease her anxiety.

"Yeah," Sab replied as she looked around, not realizing how Hermione was feeling, "I can't believe Pansy Parkinson could stay in the final, that pug- face.Ah well, there aren't other really speedy swimmers in the final compared to me and you," Sab turned back to Hermione and grinned.

Hermione realized Sab was concerning her as a good rival; she smiled back and extended her arm to Sab.

Sabrina took it and shaked it well, saying loudly, "For our house!"

Hermione didn't feel scared anymore, instead she felt ready for the challenge before her.

"Ready?"

"Yea," Hermione thought as she checked her swimming cap was tight enough, her eyes stared straight into the deep water.

"Set!"

Hermione extended her arms forward and waited for the beep.

For a moment only the bustling of the crowd watching was heard, and then there went the familiar "BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!"

They kicked off.

Hermione slid beautifully into the cold water, feeling her fingers getting numb at the ice-coldness of the water as she entered. After diving a distance, she surfaced and started pushing the water with her arms. In no time, she felt her body warming up and moving freely in the water as she pressed forward. "This is getting fun," Hermione thought, her mind not as stiff as before. She turned her head sideways to catch a breath to find Sabrina's arms slipping into the water right beside her face and pushing through.

Hermione took a deep breath and concentrated to push the water out of the way as she swam forward. No sooner she felt another swimmer swimming against her, they came to a wall that floated in the water. Hermione dived deep into the water and searched for the foot of the wall. She pushed away some reeds off her face and dived deeper, feeling the wall with her fingers. "The edge, where's the edge?" she thought desperately. Her hands glided down the wall to come to an opening. Hermione didn't hesitate and dived under the wall, pressing forward. She swam a distance before surfacing once more, taking another breath she pressed forward, there were no other water ripples around her than the one's she was making, Hermione was sure she was still the only one who passed through the wall. She heard a loud noise behind but she didn't stop to look, instead she took another breath and swam through reeds growing thick before her. The upper half of her body was out of the water as she slipped into the bushes, goose pimples started to form on her skin in the cold winter wind. Hermione pressed on as her lips quivered a bit, the bushes opened a way for her at last, and she dived into the cold water again.

The last challenge was seen ahead, Hermione splashed through the water rapidly, she caught a glimpse of a contestant with a green cap swimming up against her as she took another deep breathe. The girl was pressing against her so suddenly that she started to panic. She tried to remember which arm to flip forward next as she told herself to keep calm.

"Ahhh, stupid! It's just a simple arm!!" she grumbled inside her head.

The last barrier came before her eyes, a set of logs that she needed to dive through. She dived once, and then twice; the other girl was as speedy as she was. Hermione realized the other contestants had caught up as well. Hermione pressed on and dived under the last log. The finish line was a stone's throw away when she came out of the water again.

It was then she thought she heard Fred's voice, "Go, Hermione!"

Hermione dived at once, a strong will in her heart.

"HERMIONE GRANGER OF GRYFFINDOR CONQUERED THE GAME!" Lee Jordan shouted excitedly, the crowd cheering behind him.

Hermione had seized the day.

She aroused from the waters slowly, feeling extremely content with herself. Her heart was flying as Fred's voice rang in her ears. Hermione searched around for him, but he was nowhere to be seen, at least, not around the finish line. Hermione looked beside her and found Pansy Parkinson gasping for breathes as she splashed out of the water, trying to push her black forelocks off her white face. She glanced at Hermione with her slanted- eyes, looking sulky.

Hermione smiled in a friendly way and extended her hand at Pansy, "that was a great match, you were really good at the end it. Thanks."

Pansy dropped her jaw slightly. She was taken by surprise. She blinked her eyes and stared down at Hermione's hand then up to Hermione's smiling face, looking confused. For a second Hermione thought Pansy's arm winched as if she was ready to extend her arm at her.

But they were interrupted by Jill's fearful scream, "Sabrina! Are you alright?"

Hermione turned to look at the crowd formed in a circle on the shore. Hermione shot worried looks at the shore then back at Pansy, as if seeing what she would do. Pansy had the same shocked look for a while until she came back to her sense and made a face at Hermione before climbing up the stairs of the side of the lake clumsily, sulking as she ran towards her friends, slipping all the way.

Hermione waved her head and sighed as she went over to the stairs and climbed up to see what was going on with the crowd. She found someone lying in the middle of the circle of Gryffindors and gasped. Sabrina was badly cut on her forehead; blood was streaming slowly down her face.

"What happened?" Hermione asked her as she pushed towards Sabrina, pulling off her swimming cap.

"I . think I banged into the wall," Sab gasped, out of breath.

Hermione asked for a towel from one of her classmates and wiped the blood off Sab's head carefully as she comforted her.

In time, Madam Pomfrey came running angrily, shooing everyone else out of the way to save Sabrina, "don't you all realize she needs some fresh air!? This is why I disapproved all these sports! Professor Dumbledore SHOULD think over if he should let the students start such dangerous activities on ---"

"You'll be okay with Madam Pomfrey here," Hermione soothed Sabrina as she stood up, smiling slightly.

Sabrina smiled up at her and said one last word before closing her eyes to rest, "I'm glad you won."

Hermione headed towards the changing room when she heard the crowd cheering once more, she looked up to find Fred shouting triumphantly at the finishing line as he bounced out of the water. Hermione gazed at him in amazement and clapped hands for him as she heard Lee's announcement saying Fred had just won the free style 100 meters race. She leaned onto the railings as she watched Fred's friends and classmates from 6th to 7th years picking him up and singing victorious songs near the finishing line. She smiled. Happiness came from her heart as she watched him and his great group of friends walking towards her gleefully. She then saw Fred crouching down as he let one of his friends to sign his name on Fred's red swimming cap.

"Curious," she thought as she combed her wet hair with her fingers.

Then she came eye to eye with Fred.

"Congratulations, Fred," Hermione said with a toothy smile, trying to tame her hair as she said this.

Fred's friends walked pass as Fred stopped in front of her.

"Congratulations to you too, Hermione," Fred exclaimed, looking so happy.

He was going to pull off his swimming cap when Hermione asked, "What's that about?" pointing at his head.

Fred looked up and back at her eyes saying, "I don't really know. George started it. All the graduates are now signing their names on each other's swimming cap."

Hermione bit her lower lip as she looked up at his head again.

"Can.Can I sign too?" Hermione asked nervously, looking into his deep blue eyes.

Fred blinked his eyes twice in mild surprise, then he grinned and knelt down before her, handing her a gold marker.

Hermione took the marker from him and stepped near to him as she pulled off the marker's cap. She then put one hand on his head gently and looked for a space on his signature-filled swimming cap.

Fred was looking at the floor when he realized how close she was to him. He could feel her breathing above him. He glanced upwards slowly and blinked his eyes twice realizing for the first time she was still wearing her swimming suit. He didn't blink at the sight before him, jaw dropped slightly.

Hermione found a good space at the front and signed her name neatly on it, adding a quote beneath it carefully, "Faith means not worrying. Do your best!"

Fred came back to his sense with his cheeks slightly pink as Hermione started to draw zigzag lines around her sign randomly, just to make her signature even more out-standing than the others'.

She was thinking if she was taking too long when Fred asked her with a grin, "What are you doing on my cap? Writing a story?"

Hermione grinned with a blush and completed the zigzag lines when Fred suddenly tripped a bit and the pen tip drew a small curve on his forehead.

"Uoops,"

"Ah!" Fred exclaimed, trying to look up at his forehead, his hand touching where the mark had already dried out, "What happened?"

Hermione stared at it in dismay for a second before smiling slyly and adding two more curves above the boat-like curve --- making a smiley face on his forehead.

"You did that on purpose," Fred said with a wide grin, pretending to sound annoyed.

Hermione smiled sheepishly as she waved the oil-marker in her hand playfully.

"I thought I heard your voice when I got to the finishing line," Hermione said the words on her mind.

"I did shout," Fred said, then suddenly leaped up and snatched the oil- marker from her hand. Hermione almost squealed aloud when Fred turned her around and picked up her wavy hair that was hanging on her shoulders. He then drew an evil grin on the back of her neck with the marker and wrote clearly 'REVENGE! by Fred' below it.

Hermione giggled and tried to hit him as he bounced away with a joking laugh. She chased after him for a distance before he ran into the boys' changing room still laughing.

"What happened?" Parvati asked as she came over holding a stack of papers in her hands, trying to prevent the wind from blowing them away.

"Nothing really," Hermione said with a toothy smile.

She tied up her hair into a high pony tail and let Fred's joke show. Parvati widen her eyes at it, and then grinned.

Hermione had just decided to do a double revenge on Fred by showing off the sign he drew on her neck to let everyone know it was SHE who did that on HIS forehead.

As Hermione expected, almost everyone knew what she had done to Fred after lunchtime. Curious girls stared at Hermione's neck from behind as she ate, giggling all the way; while everyone laughed at Fred's forehead, pointing at the smiley. Who would have guessed Hermione Granger, the publicly known know-it-all, would do something like this to one of the famous school prank twins? Hermione found these all amazing and grinned ear to ear while Fred tried to hide the smiley with his hair yet showing it off slightly, enjoying the stares just as much inside. Parvati giggled with Hermione as she checked the arrangement of the afternoon events while Harry took suspicious glances at Hermione. Ron didn't notice anything and just gobbled up his lunch hungrily. As for George, he found it hilarious for what Hermione did that he rolled off his chair crying tears of laughter, shouting "Amazing! Did you know it's very much permanent?"

The afternoon matches were carried out quite well later on. Fred and George both came in first in different races. At the end of the day, there was only one match to be held - the inter-house 100x8 meters relay.

"Hufflepuff 624, Gryffindor 701, Ravenclaw 632 and Slytherin 698 .we're still in lead!" Ron exclaimed as he read the scores on the four score boards floating above the lake.

"Better not let Slytherin win this relay," Hermione said, worried of the minuscule difference between the scores of Gryffindor and Slytherin.

"You're gonna swim, right?" Parvati asked her, catching the figure of Harry coming over out of the corner of her eye.

"Yeah." she replied, fretting that she'll not be able to swim her best later on, she was very exhausted after swimming at least a hundred times three meters today, "but I'm really out of breath. I don't know if I can make it."

"Hey! Fred just asked me to... swim for our house in the relay," Harry said in a panting voice to Hermione, who turned around raising her eyelashes at the mentioning of Fred's name, "You're coming too, right?"

Hermione didn't know what to reply when Fred came up from behind Harry, "Hey, we don't have enough people on the team, Hermione can you find that girl who swam against you in your third match? I think she was called Anna Roswell or something."

"Ash Roswell, you mean?" Hermione asked, her cheeks slightly pink, which Harry didn't miss seeing.

"Yeah, that girl," Fred replied happily.

"Find her, will you?"

Hermione nodded, blushing still. Harry started to grin mischievously behind Fred, which Hermione realized.

Before Fred left to find more people to swim, he said to both Hermione and Harry, "By the way, I'm swimming the last in the team, choose your turn to swim and talk about it among you before coming to the check point to find me and George, okay?"

"Sure," Harry answered, while Hermione nodded again.

Hermione thought she shouldn't quit the race; there weren't enough people in her house team. Anyway, she could be in the same team with Fred!

Harry looked down at Hermione, who was still watching Fred running away towards the audience seats searching for more boys to swim for the relay. He cleared his throat.

Hermione came to her sense at Harry's cough and looked up at him, still blushing slightly with a grin on her face, "Let's find Ash now," she suggested.

She turned and walked over to the other side of the lake, saying 'see you' to Parvati and Ron who had to leave and judge the next race.

"Before that," Harry stopped Hermione, "I wanna ask something I've been curious about for a while."

Hermione looked up at him nervously, guessing his question.

"You're in love with Fred?" Harry asked frankly.

Hermione widen her eyes and gasped, "How did you know..?"

"Hey, it isn't hard to guess, Hermione," Harry replied with a laugh, "it's all on your face."

Hermione placed both her hands on her cheeks and realized her face was hot. She then recalled the figure of an Asian girl with long black hair.

"And," she said, glancing up at him slyly, "you're in love with Cho Chang."

Harry blushed this time; he grinned bitterly and didn't respond, though this was already a very clear response to Hermione.

"Eh. Let's find Ash," Hermione said again, starting to feel slightly embarrassed.

Harry nodded awkwardly.

Both of them didn't say it, but they found it quite funny that they were actually in love with someone new when it was only a few months ago they were dating. And moreover, they both knew about each other's new love.

It was fifteen minutes later when all the contestants were readily waiting at the lake side for the coming 100x8meters inter-house relay.

"Who's swimming for our team?" Ron asked Parvati as he leaned onto the railing on the side of the lake, trying to see the faces of the Gryffindor representatives on the other side of the lake.

Parvati, who was busily checking the sheets of swimmers' list flipping the pages on her clipboard, didn't hear Ron.

"Parvati, are you listening?" Ron asked impatiently, turning to her and straightening up from the railing.

"What? I'm busy, can't you see?" Parvati said through gritted teeth, biting the tip of her pencil in frustration.

"I asked who's swimming for our team, apart from Fred, Hermione and Harry," Ron replied, looking down at the worn-out pieces of paper in Parvati's hand.

Parvati knew Ron well enough that he wouldn't give up asking until he got the answer, and she wasn't ready to fight with him wasting her time.

So, sighing, she flipped the pages and read the names, pointing at the opposite shore, "Our first swimmer is George; the second one is Ash Roswell, the one with blonde hair and standing behind Hermione."

"That one putting on the cap? The one who's tanned?" Ron asked, pointing at a girl who had dark blue gleaming eyes and smiling at George as they discussed how to baton-touch later on.

Parvati nodded and continued, "The next one's Harry, and the fourth is Kat Omega and the fifth Sabrina Jones."

"I thought Jones was injured?" Ron asked her.

"She recovered shortly before the 200meters race. Can you let me finish this, Ron? I still got things to do," Parvati said to him, turning the pencil in her hand frequently now.

Ron nodded, and she continued, "The sixth is Leslie Ginger, and the seventh Hermione, finally, Fred will swim the last 100meters, alright?"

Ron smiled at her and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "thanks, Parv. Love you," he said with a wide grin. And then turned his head to watch the swimmers lining up, whistling happily as he leaned onto the railing again.

It was difficult to hate Ron despite how selfish he was, he had a weird tendency to be sweet in places Parvati would never had guessed.

She waved her head sighing and then smiled at him before walking off to check up if everything was going on well. The match was going to begin soon.

It started with a loud beep, George and three other House representatives with bandanas of their house colors on their heads dived into the water and swam off. Ash Roswell slipped into the water with the three other second contestants from other houses and held the railing on the lakeside, waiting for George to come back. George flipped a turn at the other side of the lake and swam back first in the four and banged his hands onto the lake side beside Ash. Ash pulled off the bandana on his head and swam off, with the Ravenclaw swimmer Jillian Boot swimming next to her at top speed.

"There goes Ash Roswell! Our second swimmer of Gryffindor, and Jillian Boot is swimming up to her, she's fast! She's close! She --- Ahhhh! She passed Ash!" Lee Jordan shouted into his microphone in disappointment. A loud booing came from the red crowd, and cheering came from the blue crowd.

Jillian flipped over at the other side of the lake with Ash and Pansy Parkinson flipping a turn back towards the starting point one after another and racing against each other behind Jill. Pansy pushed violently against Ash in attempt to drown her. But Ash wasn't easy to be knackered; she concentrated on swimming straight and did her best trying to swim ahead of Jillian with Pansy Parkinson at her feet.

Ash didn't let Pansy swim pass her until she reached the shore, gripping the bandana in her hand firmly as not to let the water demons rising from the water depths take it away from her. She slapped the red drenched bandana into Harry's hand and rose from the waters desperately gasping for breath; it was a tougher match than anyone could have thought. Harry kicked off with vigor, racing after Scott Rose from Ravenclaw, who was already a few meters ahead.

"There goes our all mighty Harry Potter!" Lee Jordan screamed at the top of his lungs, totally excited as Harry sped up to Scott in no time.

It wasn't long until Harry and Scott came back from the other side of the lake still tying with each other as Sabrina and Elise Moonstone from Ravenclaw dived off. Hermione watched as Leslie Ginger slipped into the water and waited for Sab to come back. Hermione started to shake uncontrollably again. Jeffery Parkinson sneered sarcastic words behind her which discouraged her. He was trying to make Hermione feel less confident with herself. The Slytherin swimmer just swam pass Elise and was swimming up to Sabrina as they turned back for the shore. Hermione could sense Leslie trembling slightly below her in the water. They all knew if they lost to Slytherin in this match, they will not be able to win the day.

A hand rested itself on Hermione's shoulder and gripped her gently, yet firmly. Hermione realized this and turned around to face Fred.

"Don't you worry, Leslie. Just do your best!" a steady warm voice sounded from Fred's throat.

Leslie didn't turn back; he just nodded and stared fearfully at Sabrina, who was pushing away a water demon from her as she tried to swim to him.

It didn't show in Fred's voice, but Hermione could feel Fred's hand trembling on her arm. She bit her lower lip as she watched Leslie set off, clasping the half-worn bandana in his hand. And then she slowly looked up at Fred.

He nervously smiled down at her, "you'll be okay," he said, as if he was assuring himself.

Hermione did her best to smile, starting to feel the warmth from his hand which was still on her shoulder. She said calmly to him, "Let's struggle to the bitter end."

Fred relaxed a bit at her words and let go of her shoulder, watching her gracefully gliding into the cold water to baton-touch. Leslie was coming back with Draco Malfoy a couple feet ahead of him.

Leslie touched the wall; Hermione took the bandana from him at once. Another Slytherin girl set off a few seconds faster as Draco jumped up onto the bank.

"Wish us luck," Fred said under his breath.

Hermione went off.

She couldn't see clearly, she didn't know how far ahead the Slytherin girl was. Neither did she know where the two other swimmers against her had gone to. The fear that was drowning her mind started to fill her heart as she wondered where they went. "Had they passed over me? Am I the last one swimming? Where is the Slytherin girl?" the thoughts gagged her inside and almost choked her. She started to think about random crazy thoughts which she shouldn't be thinking of then. The fear of having her housemates booing her if she failed, the thought of causing Fred to not to be able to get the Cup because she failed. she even started to worry about the points she'll be causing her house to lose if she failed, which was totally nonsense, when she came to the other side of the lake and dived into the water to rotate her body backwards. It was then she took a glimpse of a green cloth swaying in front of her. The Slytherin girl was right beside her! Again, for the second time that day, she thought she heard Fred's shout of encouragement. She remembered what she said to him before setting off, "let's struggle to the bitter end". Hermione's desire to win multiplied inside her. It was this moment; the only thing Hermione cared for was to swim. No matter what may happen later on, swim; swim as fast as she could.

"Hermione Granger, the Gryffindor 200 winner of academics and winner of two matches today, is now tying with Anita Bedrock from Slytherin swimming towards our last swimmers Weasly and Parkinson! This is the moment of our destiny!" Lee had completely forgotten Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff in excitement and Professor McGonagall was ready to give him a good shake behind him.

Fred and Jeffery glared at each other one last time before both falling into the water, staring straight forward at their team mates as they gripped at the railings on the lake side. Hermione pressed forward with all energy that was left in her and banged her hand onto the wall at last. Fred took a glimpse of the words he had written with permanent ink on the back of her neck as he took the bandana from her. Hermione raised her head from the water and looked up at him, looking never as weary.

"Leave it to me," he said in Hermione's ear as he kicked the wall hard and swam away, with Jeffery following him subsequently.

Hermione smiled as she gasped for breath, knowing she could believe those words. She climbed onto the bank side unsteadily, and then fainted out of exhaustion.

The last voice Hermione heard, she thought it belonged to Parvati. And when she opened her eyes the next time, she was lying on a soft bed in the hospital wing, darkness of the night falling on her.

Hermione wondered what time it was, and what date it was. She felt the chill of the winter air sweeping down her spine. "Where is it coming from?" she wondered, and tried to raise her hands from under the covers to pull up the blanket a little. She succeeded with one hand, but the other was held fast by something warm and wrapping her fingers firmly. Hermione turned to that side of the bed, and squealed softly.

For the first time, she realized there was someone else apart from her in the room. The hospital wing was dark and still, Hermione tried to sit up and see who it was. But once she raised her upper body for a few inches, a sharp pain ran through her body and she dropped back into bed in pain, moaning slightly. She could feel a sore pain in both her legs too. The picture of her climbing out of the lake wobbly and the world blacking out appeared in her mind. Exhausted, she gave up sitting up and turned her head sideways towards the person holding her hand, watching him or her carefully.

It was impossible to figure out who it was because the world was black without a light source. Not even the moon shone into the room. Hermione assumed that the curtains were closed. She stared at the person. Squinting and widening her eyes alternatively, she wondered which way would work better to help her see clearly. All she knew was that it was a boy; his hand was rough and big enough to wrap her whole hand in his. Slowly, her eyes got used to the dark. She found that the boy was sitting on a chair beside the bed and had his head buried in the covers lying over her. Still holding her small hand firmly in his grip, this man breathed regularly, snoring gently under his breath.

She tried, "Harry?" It was in a whisper.

No reply.

'Maybe it's Ron; Parvati might have just left for a while and asked Ron to look over me.'

".Ron?" she voiced in a whisper again.

She knew she wasn't expecting both of her best friends to be here. She knew who she hoped it was, but how could it be him?

She drew in a deep breath to try calling his name, "Fr."

The man moved. Hermione widen her eyes. The full moon came out from behind the thick clouds and shown onto the man's face, the curtains weren't closed after all. Sitting up slowly with squinted eyes and messy hair, it was one of the Weasly twins.

Hermione stared up at him, her lips parting slightly in awe. Eyes wide, Fred realized she was awake for the first time. He withdrew his hand from hers so quickly, it made her gasp.

If there were people watching, they would have wondered which one of them were even surprised. Hermione never thought it would really be Fred; all she could do was staring at him. Fred raised his hand and brushed his hair straight with his fingers embarrassingly. Then avoiding her stare, he cleared his throat on purpose.

"So.uhh. how do you feel now?" He sounded like as if he was trying to make her forget that awkward moment of his hand's withdrawal. "Painful," she replied, watching him carefully as before.

"You should have another doze of medicine tomorrow morning.uhh...this morning," he mumbled, looking down at his watch and obviously still avoiding her eyes.

Hermione looked down at his wrist. Fred waved his wrist slightly, the face of his watch shone blue green in color and the time was clearly seen. It was four a.m.

"Oh no," Fred groaned, frowning.

He swore under his breath and stood up, walking over to a shelf piled with medical bottles. He picked up a bottle which jingled the sound of plastic jingling against plastic as he took it over to Hermione and screwed open the cap. Hermione watched him as he popped three giant yellow pills onto his palm.

He dropped the pills into a glass of water. The pills fizzled and thousands of orange bubbles formed in the water. "I promised Madam Pomfrey to give you this half an hour earlier, in return for staying here with." he stopped there and looked down at her in the eye, realizing he told her something he wouldn't have.

Hermione thought he blushed as he handed her the glass, avoiding her eyes again. Their fingers touched as she took the orange juice-like medicine from him. Fred jerked his hand backwards again and rubbed his hands unconsciously as he sat down beside her.

Hermione quietly drank the liquid in one gulp; it tasted more like tomato juice than orange which she expected. In no time, she felt her body warming up as the liquid ran down her inside, the pain ceasing slightly. She smiled and handed the empty glass to Fred, thanking him. He smiled for the first time that night, looking into her eyes happily.

"How was the match?" Hermione asked eagerly, feeling that the atmosphere was lighter now.

Suddenly, Fred's face went dark again. He avoided her eyes again, "it was.well."

Hermione realized she shouldn't have asked. So Gryffindor lost! That meant that Fred didn't get the Best-Boy's-Swimmer Award cup too, Fred was relying on the inter-house relay match to get it! She didn't know what to say, stuttering uncomfortably, she tried to comfort him with all she can.

"I'm so sorry." Fred looked down at the floor. "But it's not your fault, Fred." "We won." "It's nobody's fault. It's just a match, it's..WHAT?"

Hermione jumped up from the bed and dropped back into it, moaning in pain. She thought she heard wrong, 'We won?'

Fred sprinted up in a worried face and looked down at her, "You okay? I'm sorry, I was just joking, I didn't think you'd jump up. Are you alright?"

Hermione grasped his arm which was pressing onto the bed beside her, "It's okay, wait, forget that. Which one's the joke? That you pretended to be sad or that we won?" she asked quickly, her tongue almost twisting as she spoke.

A wide grin spread across Fred's face. He then knelt down slightly, reaching for something under the bed. Hermione looked down; two golden-made cups were seen in his hands. She squealed in happiness, jumped up to hug him and dropped back into the bed in pain. Fred almost dropped the cups when she wrapped her arms around him and dropped into bed again.

"Yes! We won! You won!" Hermione squealed in delight.

"I would never have got this without you and everyone else in the relay," Fred replied humbly with a wide grin.

"And there's more," he added happily, putting down the cups carefully and taking out a beautiful golden cup embroidered with small sparkling rubies all around it, "to the Best Girl's Swimmer of the First Ever Hogwarts Swimming Contest."

Hermione dropped her jaw slightly, her eyebrows rising slightly too as she took turns looking at the cup and him.

".me?" she gasped, pointing at herself, her voice shivering.

Fred nodded, still grinning. He handed her the cup.

She stared at the cup and swallowed. "I can't believe it," was the words that came out.

"You did! Come on," Fred encouraged her, holding up the cup closer to her again. Hermione reached out. Fred smiled.

But she didn't take the cup; instead she reached up and hugged him in joy. The pain ran down her spine again, she didn't care.

Fred shivered in surprise, but he didn't move. He had a gigantic urge to put his arms around her too, but he forced himself with all his might not to. "No Fred, you don't know what you'll do once you hold her in your arms." He knew he'd not want to let go.

Not realizing Fred's struggle with himself, Hermione said into his ear happily, which made him shiver again.

"It's all because of you."

It was more than the relay. She meant more than that. She held him closer, wanting to tell him that she had heard him cheering her as she swam. Twice. It made her swim, swim real fast. She could still remember that feeling of something warm arousing inside her heart, causing her to think of nothing but advancing in the water. That feeling that made her strong. She looked down at the cup still in his hand. She saw her name "Hermione Granger" carved beautifully on it in italic. She couldn't let the words out, the words of thanks to Fred and more than that. But she knew, she knew she got this cup because of him, because he was there.

She hoped Fred understood it without her telling. Because no matter how, she couldn't phrase her thanks into words. 


	18. Lonely Christmas

**XVIII Lonely Christmas**

The winter frost came near as chilly December showed up with the bitter wind. Leaves on pine trees in the dark Forbidden Forest started to wither and animals were seen sneaking around with thicker warmer winter costumes. It was one of those icy mornings did Hermione find Draco Malfoy pinning a poster onto the notice board outside the Dining Hall.

She walked up to him to see what the notice was about.

"Wonder if anyone would go out with mudblood to the Ball?" Draco sneered at her no sooner she arrived.

She sighed mentally to his rudeness, "you wouldn't know," she thought as she ignored him, knowing that retorting will just pour oil on the flame. She inspected the Christmas Ball advertisement, which was a beautiful art of red green and white with rainbow light bulbs shining alternately all around it, and smiled, wondering how the spell was done to make that. Obviously, it was another art of Dean Thomas.

"Potty is going with the right kind isn't he? An Asian pure-blood chick," Draco spoke on, watching her lips quivered slightly when he said 'the right kind'.

Harry was going to the ball with Cho? Hermione had never heard of that. Maybe Malfoy was bluffing again just to make her mad. Even if Harry were really going to go with Cho, it wouldn't be Hermione who was going to be disappointed. She tried to control her temper as Draco parted his lips to speak again, the way he breathed already telling her it wouldn't be anything good. He should had been grateful that hysterical laughter came from behind the two of them as a crowd of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor girls walked passed them, because Hermione would have slapped him in the face ruthlessly if he spoke more uninterrupted.

"OH! A Ball!" a Ravenclaw girl with nice freckles and blonde plaits exclaimed, pointing at the notice between Draco and Hermione.

The girls quickly gathered around the advertisement like ants accumulating onto sugar. Draco stepped away from them a little, frowning at them in a disgusted look. Hermione stepped back a little too, not wanting to get into their way.

"Do you have anyone to go with?" Padma Patil, Parvati's twin, asked her friends excitedly.

The girls started discussing who they'll be going with. Some said they would wait until someone asked them out, some said that they didn't need to fret because they had boyfriends or lots of candidates that'll probably ask them; some said that they'll be going with girls and rave through the night.

Draco leaned back onto a stone wall casually, rolling his eyes. Hermione thought she saw him mouthing "girls," under his breath.

The two glanced at each other, for a second feeling the same way about these boisterous young ladies, until Lavender Brown's high pitched voice deafened everyone. Hermione didn't need to strain her ears to hear what she said between giggles, "I'm going to ask Fred to that!"

Hermione flashed her head to where Lavender was; strands of her wavy hair flying quickly as she did so. Her deep brown eyes widened in shock. Did she heard wrong? Did Lavender Brown just say "Fred"? Was it the Fred she was thinking of? Or was it another one?

There was surely another Fred in the Hufflepuff House. But that was Fredric Stones, a clumsy fifth year boy who looked exactly like Malfoy's sidekick Goyle except a lot nicer with soft brown eyes and plump pink cheeks. Would it be possible that Lavender Brown who was well known a lover of beauty, who would keep everything spic and span especially her graceful long blonde hair, ask an elephantine boy, who for what Hermione knew, doesn't know his way to his handkerchief when he had running nose? No. The probability Fred Weasly, the handsome prank, being the man this blonde-haired girl wanted to go out with, was as high as the Himalayas compared to Fredrick Stones.

Hermione stood there in awe as Lavender's friends giggled uncontrollably. They were encouraging Lavender with words that made Hermione jumped. Draco took glances at the mob out of the corner of his eye, his mind working quickly and his lips forming a sly smirk. He watched Hermione's reactions: from the slight dropping of her jaw, the tightened lips a while later, to the shocked look in her chocolate brown pupils all the way. It was needless to say that this devious Slytherin was smart enough to understand what all these meant.

He then heard the Slytherin girls' cursing voices and he realized that they were coming out from the Snakes' Common Room. He stood up straight, straightening his preppy clothes and preparing to greet his fellow housemates as he walked away from where he was. The giggling girls too walked away a while later, when a pack of handsome Ravenclaw boys strolled into the Hall, them chasing after the boys like groupies. Only Hermione still stood in her place, transfixed.

"I didn't know you like an elder Weasly, mudblood," Draco spoke into her ear as he passed by, laughing mockingly as he stalked away.

She turned and frowned at his back, watching him putting an arm onto a Slytherin diva's shoulder. Malfoy had again found out another secret of hers.

* * *

"Harry's right about everything showing on my face. I should really control the way my feelings shows. It's doing me no good," Hermione muttered at breakfast, slapping her cheeks with both hands.

"You were just unlucky to have Malfoy around," Harry comforted her as he picked up a glass of fresh orange juice, "better show your feelings than hide them," he said, gulping down the sweet beverage.

Parvati didn't speak all through the conversation after listening to what Hermione told them about Malfoy that morning.

"What's wrong, love?" Ron asked caringly, putting an arm over her shoulder.

Parvati looked at Hermione's eyes. And Hermione, who was just biting down into her sausage, stared back with her shining brown eyes.

"What?"

Parvati inhaled and exhaled before answering, "Nothing... I was just... wondering why Draco would pick on you that much."

"Because he considers her as a mudblo...blood," Ron stuttered, finishing the sentence only because Hermione nodded, meaning she didn't mind him using the term that way.

"I don't think that's it," Parvati disagreed, waving her head, "there's so many muggle-born here, and I don't see him picking on every one of them!"

"Parv's right," Harry agreed, turning to Ron now, "Do you remember him attacking Hermione in our first year? The day we really actually talked to Hermione?"

Ron nodded, still remembering how he blasted Draco into the lake (quite by chance actually, he couldn't handle his magic well back then) when he and Harry found Draco kissing Hermione forcefully. Then Harry took a glance at Parvati, catching her eye. Parvati seemed to understand what he meant; she blinked and nodded at him. Then they both turned to Hermione. Hermione didn't understand for a moment, and then suddenly raised her eyebrows.

"No... no way," she said, waving her head, "unbelievable."

"I can't think of any other reason," Parvati said in a more confident tone.

"What reason?" Ron asked, finding this conversation incomprehensible.

"It couldn't be!" Hermione exclaimed. Her voice raised a little and a few heads turning to look at them.

"It could," Harry replied, nodding at her.

"And also, maybe you can consider lowering your volume," He whispered.

Hermione blushed a bit and turned around to look back at faces staring at her in curiosity. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Malfoy taking a glance at her. No, it's just coincidence, she told herself.

Hermione turned back her head to her friends and waved her head at them, "you wouldn't know. And anyway," she looked into Parvati's eyes, "I don't care."

* * *

In the same time, at the other side of the long Gryffindor table, Lee Jordan and the Weasly twins were chattering away about Quidditch with their captain, Angelina. Fred thought he heard Hermione's voice in the middle of a conversation about their favorite professional Beater of a British team. He looked up to find Hermione talking to Harry excitedly and turning this way and that, her head stopping and staring at the direction where the Slytherins were.

Fred took a glance at what she was looking at and noticed Malfoy's quick glance at her and the small smirk on his lips as he turned back towards his Slytherin sidekicks. Fred frowned slightly. 'Was she looking at that jerk?' He thought. He turned to look at Hermione again, seeing that she had turned back to her friends now, looking occupied. He watched her every move intently from the distance, especially the gentle glitter in her eyes when she spoke. He smiled, noticing that her once bushy and some-what messy brown hair had become more neat, wavy and golden brown without his knowing. As he watched her, he recalled the sweet scent of vanilla her hair had when they stood real close, reminding him of her hugging him close in the hospital wing a few weeks ago.

Lee flung an arm onto his shoulder, "hey, what are you looking at?" he asked in curiosity.

"Nothing really," was Fred's stony reply, trying to hide his urge to grin as he recalled that night in the hospital wing. He turned back to them and picked up an apple, rubbing it on his sleeves before biting into the red fruit.

"You mean, 'WHO was he looking at?'" George said to Lee Jordan, amplifying his voice.

Lee grinned.

"No one," Fred replied quickly, trying not to move his lips too much in case he grinned.

"That isn't an interesting reply," Angelina said, raising her eyebrows with a smirk.

"It surely isn't," George added too, smirking as well, "nothing like what my twin would say after frowning, sulking and grinning in thoughts."

So he saw, Fred thought, rolling his eyes at his friends.

"Did you see the notice outside the Hall?" Angelina asked the boys, changing the topic.

"Ya, the Christmas Ball, right? Who are you going with?" George asked her in return.

"No one, since Ray isn't here at school now. Unless alumni are allowed to join the Ball, I might just hang out with the girls," she replied, sighing slightly.

"You're still going out with him?" Fred asked, not exactly asking for an answer.

"Why don't you just go with me?" Lee asked her cheerfully, sounding hopeful.

Angelina made a 'what!?' look at Lee and turned to Fred, "How about you? Who would you ask?"

Fred raised his eyebrows, realizing all attention had returned to him.

"I don't think I'll ask anyone," he replied, looking down unconsciously and sticking a fork into his pancake.

"I don't believe you," George said loudly, rocking in his seat, "I'm asking Hermione."

Fred looked up at once. A few girls turned to look at them, including Lavender Brown who occupied a seat near them.

"You see, I told you. You have a crush on her," George laughed, clapping his hands.

Fred realized his brother had trapped him. He pretended he had not heard him and stuck both hands into his pockets and pulled out something as he stood up.

"Where are you going?" Angelina asked, looking up at him.

"To find your love?" George joked, still laughing.

Lavender shifted uncomfortably as she looked at the twins alternately, her friend whispering in her ear, "is it George that is standing up or is it Fred?"

Fred did not hear the girl's whisper, neither did he reply to George. Instead, he hopped off the bench and turned to leave, dropping the fillings in his hands down George's neck as he did so. George yelped and jumped up and down in horror, Fred's new invention, gummy crickets that danced hip- hop, hopping inside his shirt frantically.

* * *

Back to where Hermione was, Parvati was shifting uncomfortably too, feeling that she had said something that made Hermione cross.

After a long silence of only clinging of metal forks on plates and chattering from others, Hermione finished her meal and stood up, picking up a glass of milk in the same time.

"You wouldn't know either, maybe he really does fancy you," Harry said to her as a reply of what she said a while ago, looking up at her.

"Fancy who?! Hermione?" Ron exclaimed loudly. Another few heads turned to them.

Hermione blushed a bit, and avoided Harry's stare before drinking all of the milk in the glass. She then muttered as she wiped her mouth with a tissue, "I... got to go."

She didn't need to go too far to bump into the person she dreaded most and yet wanted to meet most at the moment --- Fred Weasly. They met in front of the Dining Hall's entrance, raising eyebrows and then avoiding each other's stare in embarrassment.

"Uh... hey," Fred muttered, looking down at the marble floor as he stalked awkwardly through the wooden doors of the Hall.

Hermione nodded as she followed, even though she knew he wasn't looking at her to see it.

An evil laugh arouse from inside the Dining Hall, Hermione recognized Draco's voice and that reminded her of what Harry just said, "You wouldn't know either" She choked at the thought of Draco fancying her, and waved the thought away. She took a peek at Fred as she walked a little faster to keep up with his footsteps. She didn't need to walk too quickly though, because Fred was adjusting to her speed without knowing it. Fred still didn't look at her. What George said back there in the Dining Hall filled his mind and confused him badly. He took a peek at Hermione, their eyes met and they both flashed their heads away quickly, embarrassed again.

Walking alongside not speaking at all, they reached the Great Stairs. Hermione couldn't stand the silence; she turned towards the corridor to the school entrance.

Fred looked up in surprise, calling after her, "Aren't you coming to the common room?"

Hermione waved her head, "I... need some fresh air." Then she ran out of his sight.

Fred watched her turned the corner in a hurry, standing there for as long as he could and listening to her footsteps fading away. He sighed to himself; did he do something to make her leave? Actually, George was right. Fred did want to ask her out for the Ball.

But what if she didn't care about him anymore? He didn't like to be embarrassed by being refused. And well even if she still did like him, wouldn't having him asking her to the ball let her realize he was having a crush on her? Didn't he promise himself not to fall in love or let anyone fall in love with him when he couldn't make time for relationships? He waved his head in distress, stepping up the marble stairs, leaving the Hall quiet and lonely.

* * *

A few days later, as Hermione and her friends were walking to the Green House for Herbology lessons, Parvati asked Harry, "So who are you asking?"

"Ask what?"

"To the Ball," Ron answered for Parvati as she opened her mouth.

Harry blushed a bit with unease and glanced at Hermione. She glanced back at him, both understanding what the other was thinking.

"I don't know," he mumbled, Cho's pretty face forming in his mind's eye.

Hermione shifted the text books in her arms a bit, thinking if he asked Cho, that what Ginny would feel if she finds out. Hermione hadn't forgotten that the youngest Weasly was in love with Harry Potter.

Ron mentioned her no sooner Harry spoke, "Why don't you go with Ginny?" he suggested hopefully, "she said she doesn't have a partner yet, and well if it's you, I can feel at ease because..."

"Because you don't want some weird guy to do anything to your sister, and you know Harry wouldn't," Parvati finished for him.

Hermione covered her mouth and chuckled. This pair, Parvati and Ron, was the pair that made people around feel at ease most. They truly knew each other well and loved each other, and moreover, it showed. Hermione wasn't going to stand sides with either of the boys' ideas though. She liked Ginny and it'd be wonderful to see her with Harry. But Harry seemed to want to go out with Cho to the ball better. And she was right.

Harry wasn't feeling all that enthusiastic about Ron's suggestion. He didn't really know Ginny well since he hadn't really had a conversation with her before. He hadn't got much of a reply from her when he asked her something. It had always been either yes or no, or just a nod. Anyway, he didn't really find her all that attractive. She wasn't bad, in fact, Harry found her quite charming if she wasn't all quiet and shy around him. But comparing to Cho, the diva, and how frank and friendly Cho was to him, you know. But would Cho say yes?

A group of Ravenclaws walked pass them, just coming back from their lessons. Harry found Cho, and grinned funnily when she smiled at him. Ron noticed this and frowned slightly, realizing his plan wouldn't work if these two worked out.

"How about Hermione? Did MALFOY ask you out?" Harry teased.

"Don't tease me just because you're feeling hyper, Harry Potty," Hermione sneered jokingly.

"Well, seriously, do you have a partner?" Parvati asked, and then whispered, "Do you want me to ask Fred for you?"

Hermione waved her head vigorously, "Don't!"

There was short pause, "And even if I'm going to ask him, I'll do it myself," she ensured Parvati, not want Fred to think her as a cowardly girl who needs a friend to help such a simple thing as asking somebody out.

* * *

Three weeks passed. Harry had successfully asked Cho Chang out, and got a pleasant reply. That caused him to be lost in a world of wild fantasies for a couple days. Hermione swore that she had never seen Harry that gratified. And Ron sulked for a couple days too, finding out that Harry wouldn't go to the Ball with his sister. And then, he got anxious even, when he found out that Ginny was going to go to the Christmas Ball with a handsome popular fifth year Ravenclaw, Michael Corner. Now all left was Hermione, who hadn't asked or been asked by Fred yet. A few guys, some that she had never talked to in her life, asked her to go with them to the Ball. Surprised as she was, with some who were quite attractive, she refused them all, knowing that no other than Fred she would be truly happy to go with.

* * *

It was another afternoon with Herbology lessons when Hermione met him on the way to the Green House. He was alone; it seemed as if he had left the Green House late. Harry, Parvati and Ron greeted him and went off to the Green House first. In her heart, Hermione felt thankful of their thoughtfulness, giving her a chance to talk to him. Yet when they both stood there, not sure where to start, what to say, Hermione started to fret. And so did Fred.

"Uhh... how you've been?" he asked, rearranging the books in his arms unconsciously.

Hermione realized since how long they had talked. Maybe it was since that day outside the Dining Hall.

"Alright... Busy lately?"

"Yea, the usual...tons of tests, homework," he shrugged a bit.

"Who are you going to the Ball with?" Hermione suddenly jumped into the subject that they were both thinking of. She didn't want to keep on tagging the main reason she was there.

Fred raised his eyebrows slightly, taken by surprised. He was about to say something when a cheerful girly voice came from behind him.

"Fred! Oh, Fred, I was looking for you everywhere!" Lavender exclaimed excitedly, in her squeaky little voice. She ran over to them.

"Oh...for?" he sounded confused. He had no idea what she wanted.

Hermione frowned at Lavender. Lavender had interrupted them rudely and moreover, she was totally ignoring Hermione's existence. She didn't even say hi, not even a look at her.

"I wanted to ask you something, its sooo important," Lavender said happily. The way she moved her body left and right annoyed Hermione slightly.

"Okay, but Her..."

"I need to ask you now, Fred," Lavender insisted before Fred could say anything about Hermione.

Fred shrugged and gave in.

What's wrong with her? Hermione thought.

Even if by any chance Lavender found out that Hermione was her rival in love affairs, shouldn't she at least show some respect as a sorry for interrupting? Hermione stood there, doing her best to hide her frustration as Lavender waved her body this way and that, flirting. In the beginning Lavender was tugging at his sleeve, now she was grasping his arm, her long sharp fingernails digging into his sweater.

"Oh Fred, have you got a partner for the Ball yet?" she asked, her voice squeakier than ever. She sounded nervous.

Fred raised his eyebrows and glanced at Hermione quickly, catching her eye. Hermione didn't say a thing, and then she did the thing she regretted most. She looked away.

Fred shrugged a bit and as he tried to take his arm away from Lavender's grip, "Uh...not yet," he replied honestly, looking back at her. A mob of Gryffindor students walked passed them, heading for the Green House. Time was running out.

In Fred's mind thoughts were turning. Maybe Hermione didn't want to go to the Ball with him. He took another glance at Hermione; she still didn't turn his way. Yet he didn't know that she was listening to every word very carefully. Would Lavender let him go if he told her he wanted to go with Hermione? Would Hermione say yes if he asked her to go with him? Wait a second didn't he tell himself he shouldn't ask anyone out? And what if Hermione turned him down now? There were so many people watching. Lavender interrupted again.

"Then can I go with you?" she was so excited, she almost lost her voice.

Hermione gulped behind Lavender, wondering if she wanted to hear this. Maybe she should go to the Green House now, maybe she shouldn't be there. Her anger was growing too; SHE was going to ask Fred that. She looked up at Fred; he wasn't looking at her then. What were his expressions? She couldn't see them.

"Please Fred," Lavender pleaded.

Hermione felt so angry, angry at Lavender, for speaking all her lines. She felt angry, angry that Fred didn't just say yes or no, instead shrugged and kept his silence. But Hermione was most angry at herself, she hadn't got the right to speak up, she wasn't his girlfriend or anything. Why didn't she have the courage to just interrupt as Lavender did? She was too polite. And she was getting impatient.

Fred was about to speak, when Hermione started walking away. She was already late for Herbology.

Realizing she was walking away, Fred looked up. "Hermione!" he called after her.

She turned, not being able to hide her anger.

He went over to her, "I..."

"Go ahead," Hermione said coldly.

"Huh?" he didn't understand.

"Go with her, you want to go with her, don't you?" she said coldly.

Lavender couldn't hear them.

"No, I..." Fred started saying. She misunderstood his actions.

"Yes you do, you didn't refuse," Hermione spat. It weren't the words that she wished she had said a few moments ago.

"I...listen Hermione," Fred tried to say, starting to feel tensed.

"I don't have time," Hermione stalked off, stomping the cobblestone road as she went. She lost herself, and in a part of her mind, she regretted saying everything that she just did. But there was no turning back. She was too proud.

Fred stood there, angry, sad, confused. Why was she angry? What did he do wrong?

"Fred?" Lavender spoke, trying to get his attention.

"Shut up!"

Lavender stood there in awe, she had never seen him this angry.

Fred was about to break his emotions out at her, so angry that she interrupted in the first place. But he stopped himself. He knew he had not been frank enough to both girls. He hadn't shown Hermione how he cared for her. He had been a coward. Why did he care about his reputation that much? Why did it matter that there was a crowd watching? What matters if Hermione would say yes if he just asked? What matters if that wouldn't make her mad? It was his fault, not hers, not even Lavender's.

"Sorry, Lavender," Fred spoke at last, "go on to Herbology, you're late."

Lavender didn't move, "but...will you go to the ball with me?" she asked hopefully.

Fred didn't say a thing for a long moment.

"I'm not going with anyone, not unless she would go with me," he said quietly, the last part barely above a whisper.

Lavender nodded. There was something in his tone that stopped her from pushing further. She went off sadly, leaving Fred thinking to himself.

* * *

Herbology was hell for Hermione. She wasn't listening to a word Professor Sprout was saying. The feeling of regret just grew strong in her and made her think all about what she just said to Fred. She accidentally cut her hand twice, causing Parvati to scream in fear and almost dropped her pot of plant onto the cobblestone floor. Professor Sprout asked her twice what was wrong with her, but Hermione didn't tell. All she could think was: If he hated her now, she couldn't blame him for it. She had been such a shrew.

The friends didn't speak much during dinner. Hermione was so quiet, no one dared to interrupt her thoughts. They took turns peeking at her, trying to find a hint of expression from her. But Hermione kept her silence, and maintained a face of blankness. After dinner, Parvati and Ron left for wherever they were going to, and Harry went over to the Ravenclaws' table for Cho asked him to go over and meet his friends. He hesitated for a while, because he dared not let Hermione stay on herself. But in the end he did, Cho was so persuasive, and Harry didn't want to upset her. The night of the Ball was near.

Hermione sighed as she cleaned her hands with a towel after she had her meal. She stood up, not taking a glance at the other Gryffindors. She weren't even sure if Fred were there, she hadn't had the courage to look for him anyway. With a couple textbooks in her hand, she decided to walk outside the school building for a while. She needed fresh air; somehow, the atmosphere in the Hall was too distressing.

It was a fine night, the moon shining over her. Hermione sat under a tree and leaned on the tree trunk. She sighed again. The scenes of her saying those angry words to Fred were recalled. A line of tear ran down her cheek. She regretted for not controlling her temper. It wasn't his fault that he stuttered; maybe he didn't want to say no to Lavender in front of her because she was watching. Maybe she should have stayed away so it would have been easier for him. Or maybe he wanted to go to the Ball with Lavender.

"Oh, whatever," she said to herself, more tears streaming down her cheeks. There was no hope Fred was going to the Ball with her now. She must have made him mad. Who wouldn't be? She had been so rude to him. She sobbed, the world blurring out. What could she do now?

She cried so hard, so occupied, she didn't notice that a man was watching her from not far away. When she at last got a hint of men's aftershave in the air, and opened her eyes, he was standing so close that she could clearly see the delicate patterns of his forest green sweater and his well- polished black leather shoes before her eyes.

She looked up slowly with red puffed eyes, the color of the sweater and the aristocratic scent reminding her of only one person in the world – Draco Malfoy, and she was right - Malfoy, looking down at her.

Hermione wiped her tears, "not him" she thought, "not Malfoy to see my tears." But tears couldn't be controlled.

He was so close, Hermione started to get nervous. His shadow was all over her. She tried to stand up, maybe push him aside and walk away, but Malfoy suddenly leaned down over her, and that shocked her that she couldn't move at all.

For a second she thought he was going to kiss her, and reflexively, she raised her hand to her lips, covering them. But Malfoy stood straight again, and Hermione noticed that something was on her lap now. She looked down; it was a beautiful green handkerchief, with silver linings and a gracious capital letter D sewed on a patch of the corner in shining silver mixed with a hint of green. She looked up, confused. But Malfoy was nowhere to be seen anymore.

What did it mean? He had always seemed to hate her, despise her, yet from time to time, he gave the most sharp, most helpful advices to her. He gave unspoken comfort to her. What did he want? Her usually smart brain couldn't function normally anymore. She cried. She cried into the cloth with a D sewed on its corner. Nothing mattered any more.

* * *

The night before Christmas came. Yes, the night of the Ball. Everyone was excited; Hogwarts never had a Ball before. After lessons that day, everyone got dressed. Girls trying to look attractive by putting on make up and revealing a bit more of their smooth complex; boys trying to be a bit more impressive by gelling their hair and put on extra aftershave. Some were just as they always had been, such as the Weasly twins. They kept their usual looks, wearing jumpers and jeans, as casual as they can be.

Harry tried to tame his hair, as always, it was mission impossible. Ron did something strange with his hair, his fringe/bangs was oddly curled up in a bunch that Parvati waved her head with a giggle when Ron asked how it was. She cast a spell and instantly it returned to his normal hairstyle. "I love it this way," Parvati seemed to have said, for Ron grinned happily for the rest of the night.

Ginny seemed so different in a black mini skirt and silky revealing tube top. With her long red hair tied up in a bun, slight make up on her cheeks and cherry blossom lipstick applied to her full lips, she looked more mature than she really was. Michael, the boy she was going with to the Ball, seemed pleased. He kept looking at her up and down that Ron started to think that it was not a good idea to let Ginny go to the Ball with him.

The one who surprised everyone most after dressing was Hermione. When she came down the dormitory stairs, latest in all friends, everybody stared. Wearing a silky strapped dress in her favorite color, a light sky blue, with shining little beads gliding and clinging slightly as she stepped down the stairs in a pair of silver sandals, she looked graceful. She hadn't put on any make up, but her cheeks were rosy enough to compare with those who did. She hadn't particularly done anything to hair either, except it was more tamed than usual that it was now rather wavy than the usual messy bushiness. She looked neat. And with her calm smart looks, she looked perfect.

It took Harry's breath away. And for a second, brought him the old feelings he had for her. Well, later, Cho's gorgeousness caused dizziness that he totally forgotten it anyway.

It is not needed to say that Fred was totally in shock, even if this was what he had expected. No doubt, she was the most beautiful being he had seen in his life.

* * *

"Look, everyone's enjoying this," Parvati said in a satisfied tone half way through the Ball.

Disco music and love ballades were played alternatively, students and teachers were dancing happily in the center of the Hall, everyone enjoyed the butter beer and the delicious food made by the kitchens, as always. The atmosphere was great.

"Great success, love," Ron laughed, kissing her on the cheek, "want to dance?"

Parvati looked at Hermione, then at Harry, nodding at him before following Ron to the center of the Hall. Harry nodded back before turning back to Cho and Hermione, talking about Quidditch.

Hermione then realized that her friends were trying to keep her company in turns. Hermione WAS enjoying the Ball, she liked the music, she liked chatting with her friends, she got to get to know Cho for the first time, she was nice. But there was something missing, and Hermione knew it.

She took a glance at the other side of the Hall, finding Fred and George with Alicia, Angelina and Lee Jordan, who were raving to the music like mad. Hermione could see that Angelina was obviously avoiding over body contact with Lee Jordan, it was an unspoken common sense that Lee was in love with her. But Angelina had a boyfriend, Ray who had graduated last year. Alicia was dancing closely with George, so they were a couple. Hermione observed them for a while, and for a second thought that Fred was looking at her when Seamus came along.

"Would you dance with me?" Seamus asked her, looking nervous.

Hermione was quite taken by surprise, she was going to answer when Ron and Parvati came back, sweating all over.

"Your turn, Harry," Ron said quite loudly, causing Parvati to stamp his foot.

"It's okay, Parv," Hermione said, smiling, "thanks for being thoughtful...but I'm fine, go and have a good time."

"But..." Ron started to say.

Harry stopped him with a look and turned to Hermione, "sure you're okay?" he asked considerately. Cho shrugged a bit at his reactions and Hermione noticed this.

She nodded at him, "in fact, I was just thinking of dancing with Seamus," she said with a grin as she gently gripped Seamus' arm and led him to the dance circle.

Harry wasn't so sure that those words meant Hermione's true feelings, but Cho led him away before he could ask further. And Seamus beamed as he followed Hermione.

* * *

"What's wrong?" Harry asked Cho in concern since she hadn't spoken ever since they started dancing.

"Why don't you dance with Hermione, you like her better than me, right?" Cho said to Harry, it made him jump.

"What makes you think that?" he asked, not being able to understand her reactions.

Cho stopped dancing. "Why did you have to keep her company just because she is alone? She's just a friend, Harry. Why do you have to make time for her when we could have been together more? Alone, without her?" she asked, her voice ice cold now.

Harry felt a little annoyed with Cho's tone of speaking, she was getting more and more irrational, "Hermione's my best friend, Cho. She's our best friend," he turned to look at Ron and Parvati who were dancing on the other side, and then back to Cho, "she's not feeling good lately so why shouldn't I keep her company?" He couldn't understand the way Cho's mind worked.

"Well she's not MY best friend, and if you'd like to keep her company THAT much, why didn't you ask her to dance tonight? Why did you ask ME?" she asked sharply, her cheeks red now.

Harry stared at her, surprised for how she could act towards him. Why would Cho say this stuff to him? He didn't feel that he had done her any wrong. It was then when a couple boys started coming close, seeing that Cho wasn't dancing. They asked her to dance in Harry's face; and to Harry's surprise Cho replied them with a yes.

"Cho?" Harry exclaimed.

"I can dance with whoever I want to, Harry Potter," she said to him, leaving him alone.

Hermione kept smiling as she dance with Seamus to soft rock music. Yet she didn't really want to, she just didn't want her friends to worry too much and spoil their night. She danced only for a while, and with an excuse she bid Seamus goodbye, going to the balcony for some fresh air. The wonderful atmosphere just hurt her painfully. She couldn't feel happy, not without whom she loved.

It was freezing outside. Snow was falling. Hermione walked over to the marble railings, leaning onto it and staring up at the night sky, wrapping her arms trying to capture some warmth. The music and laughter from the Hall seemed so far away. She sighed gently, feeling lonely. Maybe she wanted her friends to keep her company after all.

The snow was light, and the sky seemed like to be gleaming. It must be the ice crystals that made this illusion. It seemed like stars falling to her. Yet she knew the shining pieces weren't the stars she had seen that mid- summer night with Fred. She sighed again.

Fred had seen Hermione dance. He watched her all along. And when he saw her walking off alone to the balcony, he followed. He wanted to say something to her, anything. But when he approached the balcony, seeing Hermione sigh, he stood there at the glass door, not able to move another step. He touched the glass door with his hand, watching her.

Her fair smooth complex, her round eyes with the deep chocolate brown pupils, her pursed cherry lips, the mysterious air she had about her, the matching sky blue dress and the furry white coat she wore, with the snow as a background and the wind in the air... all formed a portrait of excellent beauty.

He lost his senses, watching her. He wished to hold her, wished to see her smile, wished to hear her laugh again.

She sighed again, staring out at the horizon.

And Fred felt pain in his heart.

With this, he stood straight up, not leaning onto anything anymore, "If you don't go over there now, when would you?" he asked himself.

He had plucked up his courage, when the sound of the mid-night bell rang through the grounds. Hermione looked up, coming to her senses at the sound of the Ding-dongs. She sighed once more, the bell indicated that the Ball had ended; she can go to her dormitory as she wished. She turned around coming eye to eye with one of the Weasly twin. He looked surprised, the kind of look you get when you were found doing something you weren't supposed to do. She could see he was wearing a red jumper, and for all she knew George preferred green while Fred preferred red, another unspoken common sense of the Weaslys. This had to be Fred Weasly.

Since when had he been there?

He turned, walking quickly into the Hall. Hermione didn't hesitate, she hurried after him.

"Wait! Fred, wait!" she called after him, trying her best to walk quickly for she was wearing a dress and sandals, making it difficult to run. Fred realized her difficulty and stopped his hurried footsteps, changing into slow ones.

Hermione had caught up with him, she tugged at his sleeve as support, catching her breath. Fred stopped walking and stood there, soothing her back.

"Sorry," he said quietly, he had made her run.

Hermione just nodded.

"Uh... wanted to say something?" he asked, stupidly.

Hermione stood straight, tidying her hair carefully and looking up at him. Their eyes met, and Fred gently took a strand of wavy hair off Hermione's face.

"Thanks," she smiled.

"No problem," he smiled too, slipping his hands into the pockets of his jumper. The atmosphere relaxed a bit.

"Umm... Fred, I'm... sorry for being so... shrewish last time," she said what she wanted to say at last. She gulped, hoping he'd forgive her.

Fred finally relaxed totally, "Its okay, I've...uh...forgotten it anyway," he grinned.

She smiled when he smiled. She loved his smile. The rest of the trip to the common room was relaxing, even though they didn't speak much.

By the time they had reached the common room, Professor McGonagall was right there forcing everyone to go to bed. They stopped at the foot of the stairs leading to the girls' dorm.

"Night, Hermione."

"...Night," she said, barely above a whisper.

She turned, stepping up the stairs.

"And uh... Hermione?"

She turned back.

"Merry Christmas," he was smiling shyly. Oh yeah, it was already past midnight.

She smiled a toothy smile, "you too Fred, Merry Christmas!" Then she went up the stairs.

Fred grinned; he watched her turn around the corner before leaving for his dorm. He knew George and Lee Jordan will be there waiting for him, asking for an explanation of his sudden disappearance at the end of the Ball. But it didn't matter to him tonight. He was too happy to care.

Late that night, after Hermione had changed and bathed, most of the girls had slept. She put on her covers and fluffed her pillow before lying down onto her bed. The snow could be seen outside her window, icings were formed on her window sills. There must be miles of snow land seen by tomorrow morning, she thought.

"Merry Christmas," she whispered as she closed her eyes, hoping to dream a little dream of him tonight.


	19. Be My Valentine

**19- Be My Valentine**

Hermione rose from her slumber feeling fresh. She peeked out of her window and found the world as white as snow --- it was snow.

Humming a sweet Christmas song, the memory from last night made her smile as she combed her wavy hair. She picked up a can of mousse from her desk, "maybe I'll try straightening out my hair today." She was in a good mood.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!"

Everyone was greeting each other cheerfully as Hermione came down the stairs. Ron and Parvati were opening their Christmas presents near the house's Christmas tree, Hermione joined in.

"Merry Christmas, Ron, Parvati," Hermione said with a grin as she sat down beside them.

"Jolly Christmas, Hermio...wow, that looks great," Ron complimented with a wide grin, staring at Hermione's straight long hair.

"You can consider simple straight hair Hermione, it does look good on you," his girlfriend laughed, running her fingers through Hermione's silky hair.

"Thanks, you two," Hermione said with a smile, "maybe I would."

Hermione knelt down, starting to open parcels of presents and thanking her friends for them. There were only two left when they had to leave for breakfast soon.

"Wait, I got two more," Hermione said hurriedly to her two friends as she reached for a gigantic parcel from her parents. It was a dome shaped parcel, and if Hermione wasn't imagining things, it was kind of shaking too. There was a note tied around it, "hope you'd like him. Merry Christmas! Lots of Love, mom and dad"

"'Him'? Hmm, wonder what this is?" Hermione said to herself, poking the parcel again. It shook once more, and this time it squealed.

"Oh!"

"Wow, what's it?!"

Hermione tore open the wrappings, only a corner, and peeked inside.

"My...!"

"WHAT IS IT?" Parvati asked excitedly, putting down her boxes of chocolate cookies from her grandma and coming towards Hermione.

Hermione tore the wrappings off quickly. They all gasped.

Hermione shockingly opened the bronze bird cage, the little red thing inside it hopped onto her finger as she reached in. They all gasped again, a gasp of sweetness.

Ron spoke first, "That's b-l-o-o-d-y handsome," admiring the smart little robin on Hermione's finger as he touched its wine red feathers with his chubby finger.

"Wow, I envy you," Parvati whispered, all watching the robin spread its wings and fly around the room, then back to Hermione, pecking her finger with its little black beak and back into the cage.

"And he's so smart," Parvati added. The little robin was cleaning its silky feathers with its beak now.

Hermione smiled, "I think I'll call him...Corin."

"That suits him well," Parvati grinned as she packed up.

"I've got to write a letter to mom and dad, he's so cute," Hermione said merrily, picking up the cage at its ring and peeking at Corin. She noticed she had another parcel. It was small, a box of the size of Ron's pet mouse Scabbers. "Later maybe," she said to herself, it was probably from Harry. Then she realized something, "Have anyone seen Harry?"

"No, where's he?"

They all stopped what they were doing and looked around. Yes, where was he?

* * *

"Harry, we've been looking for you everywhere!" Ron said out loud as he entered the Dining Hall, finding Harry at the Gryffindor table with Fred, George, Ginny and a couple friends of hers.

"You haven't even open your presents upstairs," Parvati said, a small frown on her face.

"Oh... Uh, sorry, I had to come," Harry apologized, slightly glancing at Ginny, "I'll tell first next time if I have to leave first."

Ron nodded and sat down with Parvati next to George.

"I can wait for you next time," Ginny whispered to Harry, looking down at her plate, "or actually don't worry about me."

"It's okay," he mouthed quickly, forking his pancakes as Hermione sat down next to him, opposite to Fred.

"It's okay what," Hermione said in a low voice. She had heard. She realized that Harry didn't want the others to hear him and Ginny communicating. It was odd anyway; she had never seen Harry and Ginny actually talking like that.

"Nothing," Harry mumbled, tossing the pancake into his mouth.

Hermione turned to look at Ginny who was staring at her. Ginny quickly looked at her plate again and ate quietly. Clearly, they were hiding something.

"Oh well," Hermione sighed, taking a pancake herself.

"Morning, Hermione," Fred said, grinning at her.

She smiled back at him, greeting him a merry Christmas. She was going to look down at her plate and eat when she realized that Fred was still looking at her. She raised her eyebrows a bit at him, wondering.

"Oh," Fred came to his senses, "sorry uh... it was just, you look different today," it wasn't only that, but he didn't say it.

He looked down at his plate too, poking his bacons, his ears redder than usual. Hermione blushed happily. George smirked as he looked up, hearing it all.

He started singing, "Fred and Hermione sitting in a tree."

All boys joined in, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

They all laughed, and Ginny and her friends admired Hermione's long straight hair. It was a merry breakfast time.

* * *

There were no lessons that day. Everyone went outside to enjoy the Christmas sunshine.

"Merry Christmas, Hagrid!"

Hagrid turned around and waved a mitten at the kids, grinning widely under his thick black moustache.

"Merry Chris'mas Day, fellas!" his beady eyes twinkling as the kids grinned up at him too.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked him in curiosity, looking down at the caldron of bubbling orange mixture over a greenish flame, in front of his door.

"Oh, nuthin', its just soup for Snuffles," he said, poking the fire happily. Snuffles woofed beside him; and then continued panting mist with a silly smirk on its face.

Everyone gathered closer to the fire, trying to capture some warmth, laughing and joking.

"Oh, by the way Hermione, here's your Christmas present," Harry said with a grin, handing her a rectangular parcel with one hand, "Sorry, I forgot to put it under the tree this morning."

"Oh, thank you," Hermione replied in delight, taking the box from him, "What is it?"

"You'll see," he laughed.

Beside Harry, Ginny seemed to be at unease. She kept on shifting closer and closer to the fire, turning around a few times every minute as if expecting something awful to happen.

"Ginny, you look awful," Parvati, standing next to Ginny, said with concern, touching Ginny's forehead with her hand.

Everyone looked up from the fire, noticing how white Ginny looked.

"Maybe you should go to the hospital wing," Hagrid suggested, frowning his thick black eyebrows slightly.

Hermione walked over to Ginny to help.

"It's okay, I'll take her," Harry said quickly to Hermione, helping Ginny walk since she didn't seem to be able to stand straight.

Everyone was startled.

"Harry?" George gasped loudly a second later, eyes wide, brows raised.

Harry didn't reply, taking a wobbly Ginny with him back to the school building. Ginny looked really sick, and no one, not even the twins, thought of making fun of them.

* * *

When they all returned to the common room a few hours later, Harry was there, alone, opening his presents.

"Where's Ginny? I didn't see her in the hospital wing," Ron asked him quickly in a worried voice as he walked through the painting opening.

"She's in her room, she said she didn't want to stay in the hospital wing on Christmas Day," Harry explained, "She's okay, don't worry."

He looked up from his box of chocolate frog from Ron, "thanks Ron," he grinned.

Ron grinned back, looking relieved, and sat down with him.

Hermione gave Harry a hug when she found Harry's present for her was an elegant ink pen. Hers had broken just a week ago and she was having problems getting a new one.

"I'm so grateful, Harry. You're so thoughtful!" she gave him a light kiss on the cheek happily. Harry grinned and hugged her back.

"Hermione, you still got a present," Parvati reminded her, pointing at the Scabbers-sized box wrapped with golden paper, lying under the Gryffindor's Christmas tree.

Hermione picked it up carefully, wondering who gave her this present. No name was written on it, and she had thought it was Harry who gave her this. But it's obvious now it wasn't him. So who was it?

She unwrapped the present and suddenly BOOM!! Colorful smoke and strings of ribbons flew out of the box. Hermione choked and coughed. And when she opened her eyes again, flapping the smoke out of her sight, a huge bouquet of red roses was there in her hands. Hermione stood there in awe, unable to believe the sight before her. She was grateful that only her friends were around, or she really didn't know how to hide her red cheeks.

"That's bloody amazing," Ron gasped. He had lost his breath for a second.

"I only know two people in the world that would do a trick like that," Harry whispered under his breath. Only Parvati heard him, she had her eyebrows raised as well.

When Hermione came back to her senses, she blinked her eyes at a tiny pale pink greeting card hanged with a silver string onto one of the roses:

_ Hermione Granger,_

Merry Christmas!

Pop a rose a day!!

Your One Day Valentine  
  
"Oh my," Parvati gasped as she peered in from behind Hermione, "so he's starting his move on Christmas!"

"Who is? And what's a one day valentine?" Hermione asked, touching one of the roses with her warm hand. The rose popped, transforming into a red cherry-flavored candy/sweet. Hermione blinked again, her jaws dropped.

Parvati simply smirked at her, flopping down onto a sofa.

"One Day Valentine, how could you forget that? It's one of the activities our Student Association's gonna do in February!" Ron exclaimed, crossing his legs.

He explained on, "All boys get to draw the name of a girl from any of those in this school, including teachers, and they have to do things to pretend they're being the girl's secret admirer and confess themselves to them without telling their names until Valentine's Day!"

"Ah... Suspense," Harry said quietly with a grin on his face as he sat back into the sofa, "we all love it."

Parvati laughed at Harry's pretending-to-be-serious face.

Hermione nodded, remembering there was such an activity that they had planned. Then she said again, "But its still December!"

"I know," Parvati said excitedly, sitting straight, "That's why I'm surprised! Actually our One Day Valentines are chosen already in November so the boys can have enough time to think up tricks to surprise you, but I never really expected anyone to start this early... Oooh, I can't wait for mine to make his move!"

Ron frowned at her though she didn't notice it. Harry noticed this though and smirked knowing that Ron WASN'T her One Day Valentine. He just hoped a fight wouldn't start out because of this.

Hermione looked down at the gorgeous scarlet bouquet, her face getting hot. Who was her One Day Valentine? She knew it's just a game --- One Day Valentine. But she was still flattered with the hard work this man had given on this beautiful art in her hands.

* * *

"I'm scared, Harry. What if he really meant it?"

"He didn't, I don't believe he have the guts to do it. And even if he did, I'm here. So don't worry. Alright?"

The voices were from an unused classroom.

"...Thanks, Harry. I can't even remember how you got involved," her voice shivered, "I really don't know how to thank you... and...I hope you're right."

"Don't worry," Harry said gently, patting her shoulder, "feeling better today?"

She nodded her small head, hooking long locks of hair onto her ear as she kept her eyes on the wooden floor.

The school bell rang --- the calling for students to afternoon classes.

"We have to go now," she said softly, wiping the line of tear that streamed down her cheek a while ago, shifting the second-hand text books in her arm.

"I'll walk you," he opened the classroom door for her.

She nodded a little as thanks and stepped out. She stopped at the doorway, and then turned, staring into his eyes with her big round blue eyes.

"And... um, you haven't... told..." she stuttered mid-sentence, looking at the floor again.

Harry smiled at her with reassurance, "No, I haven't told your brother, or anyone else. I promised you, remember?"

Virginia Weasly looked up, smiling for the first time that day.

* * *

"You're late, Mr. Potter," Professor Snape snapped once Harry stepped into the dungeon, "ten pints from Gryffindor."

Harry didn't speak and stalked to Snape's desk. Snape raised an eyebrow at him, looking suspicious and showed a hint surprise.

"What do you want, Potter," Snape asked calmly, "are ten points not enough?"

The Slytherins snickered, Draco on the lead.

"I just thought I should apologize for being late, Professor," Harry replied quietly, "I'm sorry."

Everyone's eyebrows rose at least an inch from its normal place. Snape's went so high that Harry almost thought his eyes would pop out. What now? Is it so odd for him to apologize?

Having not a smart reply to that at the time, Snape mumbled something like "go back to your seat" and turned towards the blackboard, writing down the last sentence on his potions' list and commanded the class to start their work on the experiment.

Hermione, Ron and Parvati all didn't get a chance to speak to Harry during that lesson. For one thing, talking was absolutely forbidden in Snape's lessons; for the other, Harry had to team up with a clumsy Slytherin when he had troubles distinguishing one powder from the other himself, while Hermione had to help Neville out before he mistaken spews from spawns. They both had absolutely no time to spare to even look at each other for a second. Not to mention that Parvati was busy helping Ron not to chop the rat's tail into shreds instead of simple slices too.

"Why were you late today?" Hermione asked Harry once she got the opportunity to do so after Potions.

"Ginny got sick on the way to her lessons, I walked her," Harry replied half-truthfully.

"Why are you being so nice to my sister lately?" Ron asked in suspicion.

"I thought you wanted Harry to be nice to her?" Hermione returned before Harry could reply.

"I did, but..." Ron's voice died away.

Parvati held his hand and smiled at him, "she's a young lady now, and you know she can choose what she wants, like who she wanted to go to the ball with."

Harry choked suddenly.

"You okay?" Hermione asked in a worried voice, a bit shocked.

Ron soothed his back for him as they headed for the Green House for Herbology.

Harry held Ron's shoulder, trying to sooth his breath, "I'm okay... okay," he answered after a while. "Thanks," he said to Ron.

They reached the cobblestone path which leaded to the Green House. It was then when an extremely colorful banner hanging between the dried grape vines caught their eyes. There was a little snow over it, but the message was clear.

_ "DEAR SWEETEST HERMIONE,  
LOVE YOU GAL!  
Your one day valentine"_

They all stood there in awe simultaneously, staring at the large banner wavering in the light winter wind. Ron dropped his books.

"What is this?!"

"My god!" Once she came to her senses, Parvati laughed so hard that she had to hold her stomach tight. Ron rubbed his eyes wondering if what he saw was true and Harry just smiled stupidly, waving his head.

"Your one day valentine's getting more and more fancy, Hermione," he chuckled.

"I wonder what he would do during these two months until Valentine's Day," Parvati giggled, blushing slightly in excitement.

Hermione didn't say a word, her eyes rounder than usual, staring at the words. Though she had to admit she was flattered again, she felt so embarrassed that she wished she could hide in a hole if there was one around. Then she remembered something, which caused her half-running towards the banner to get it off the public's eye.

"Are those the seventh year Gryffindors?" Ron asked no one in particular.

Hermione widen her eyes and stared at the crowd walking towards them fairly quickly, two red heads obviously in the mob. Her actions had to be fast, but she couldn't reach the banner which was quite high above. Harry and Ron wondered if they should help, and when Ron started to walk towards her, Parvati tugged his sleeve, stopping him. The crowd had arrived, and so had some fourth year Gryffindors who were heading for the Green House.

"Huh!"s, "Oh!"s, and "Wow!"s were heard from behind her. Hermione didn't know what to do, her cheeks red as rose. Everyone was looking at her and the banner.

"Your one day valentine?" some boys started asking her.

Hermione blinked her eyes and blushed even more, her eyes chasing after Fred. Fred caught eye contact with her. And instead of the reaction Hermione expected (a blink and a turning away), he grinned at her.

"I wonder who your one day valentine is, Herm," he said to her, grinning.

George snorted a laugh.

Fred turned to him, his back on Hermione, glaring at his twin. George raised both his hands at him in a 'freeze' pose, raising his eyebrows with a playful smirk on his lips.

Hermione babbled as Fred turned back to her, "I'll see you later," he said with a smile and left, fighting playfully with George on the way.

"What did that mean?" Hermione asked Parvati, very confused, "did he mean that he didn't care about that BIG banner because he knows it's a game or is it because he doesn't care who likes me (if someone did)?"

Parvati just smirked and put her arm around Hermione's shoulder pulling her towards the Green House.

"Come on, don't mind what he thinks. Let's guess who this guy with his roses and banner is. It's more fuuuuun."

Harry laughed, while Hermione and Ron had no idea what was going on. And the banner still wavered behind them.

* * *

Hermione's One Day Valentine brought her surprises that Hermione never expected.

Once, Hermione woke up finding a trail of rose petals on her blankets leading to somewhere. And when she followed the trail to her wardrobe, feeling nervous as she opened the doors, music started booming from the inside. Terrified, she closed the door. But when she opened it again, meekly, it was only a soft sweet melody that Hermione had never heard before. The usual "Your One Day Valentine" card was floating in mid-air and dissolved into thin air as the music slowly faded away. Hermione hummed the song for the rest of the day. It simply slipped into her mind even though she'd only heard it for once.

Another time, when Hermione was having breakfast, thirty Owls, which seemed like hundreds of them to her, flew down to her carrying the same rose- scented card with a moving character smiling up at her saying "Good Morning!" in a bubble. Hermione was shocked, and so were her friends. To their surprise, she laughed, starting to like how this boy would do simple things in such an extraordinary way.

He did it extremely randomly too. Hermione could never guess when he'd do it. Since mid-January, he did nothing at all for two weeks, puzzling Hermione a bit as she was starting to always expect that something would happen soon. But the weeks passed by with only anxiety accompanying her and Hermione realized she was actually feeling disappointed even though she knew how embarrassing she'd feel if Fred saw those appeals. She kept on popping the roses he gave her on Christmas once a day because each time she did; the candies/sweets were always of a different flavor. The differences between Berty Bott's and these were that Berty's were soft jelly beans while these were hard and would last for long as you suck on it. Unlike Berty's, they mostly tasted edible too, except a couple inedible ones to surprise her. It seemed like even though her One Day Valentine was quite extravagant in ways, he still had a sensible part in him.

As she was starting to forget that her One Day Valentine would surprise her since he did nothing for weeks, January came and went.

Harry and Ginny's suspicious behavior continued. Ron started to feel frustrated since Harry never talked about Ginny when he was with him and the girls. He either kept his silence or swiftly avoided answering the delicate questions without giving anyone a chance to ask further. Not even Ginny, who used to be quite easy to be poked open, gave in this time. Harry never left Ginny unless he had to, but he didn't seem to be her boyfriend either. Ron didn't understand and neither Hermione nor Parvati did.

Valentine approached, suddenly the school was filled with surprises every corner. Banners and flappers, bombs and laughing cackles around the corner, it almost seemed like Peeves the Poltergeist had multiplied his tricks on the students except these were all sweet and only for girls. Of course, there were times boys get made fun of too, which those Peeves did out of boredom. The secret Valentines were taking over his fun and he didn't feel good about it.

Parvati received a small artful hand-made chocolate cake at the beginning of February and looked really delighted. Ron steamed for that. He asked for some of the cake but Parvati said no, insisting to have it all for herself. Ron steamed even more.

Hermione's secret Valentine still didn't do anything except reminding her with small stuff from time to time, telling her to pop her roses, like: having a card popping out of her Charms text book during lessons, or having golden words written "Shushhhh, remember to pop the roses once a day!" floating in the air between bookshelves in the library when she was finding a book. There were still half a bouquet left in her vase and Hermione wondered when it would be all gone. She found it quite a pity to watch the roses fade day by day but she kept doing as she was told even though she didn't understand why he insisted her to do it once a day. Anyway, the sweets were tasty.

Valentine's Day was Quidditch Day too for Hogwarts students. The two events had overlapped. It should had been a Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw match, but the captain of Ravenclaw asked for switching with Slytherin. Harry seemed quite annoyed when he heard the news from Angelina at breakfast two weeks before the match.

"Shit," he swore quite loudly.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked him and saw that Angelina didn't have a good expression on her face too.

"We have been practicing on tactics against the Ravenclaws for a month. Now that they've asked to switch with Slytherin, we have to change some trainings too. You boys will be having a really hard time these two weeks," Angelina said the last words to Harry and the twins sitting there.

"And the ladies!" Alicia Spinnet shouted from not far away.

Harry nodded at what Angelina said, a dark expression on his face.

"Oh come on, we all know the Gryffindors' team is the best," Hermione said encouragingly, "Never say never, right?"

"Right," Fred replied at once, "no training is harder than our team's human- bludgers, Angelina!"

George and Fred puffed their chest hitting themselves at each other.

Angelina grinned and clapped her hands together, "Then harsh training it shall be!"

But Harry still seemed very unhappy.

"Harry, what's wrong," Hermione asked him quietly as the other Quidditch team mates discussed how to tackle the Slytherins.

Harry twitched a bit, but only waved his head, "nothing, really," sounding as if it's really nothing.

Hermione sighed, poking her pancake randomly, "it's okay if you don't want to say it. But if you do, tell me, alright? I'll do my best to help," her words, quiet but very concerned.

Harry stopped eating and glanced at her, he grinned, "I'm okay, Herm. I am, really," his voice was tender than before, "don't worry, I will if I have problems," he patted her shoulder assuring her.

Soon, Harry finished eating. Leaving a word to Angelina saying he'd be on time at the practice that afternoon, he left with Ginny again. It was then when Hermione noticed that Ginny looked paler than usual, and Harry seemed to be talking very seriously to her as they left. Hermione wondered if she should follow and help Ginny since she seemed to be stumbling as she went, but she hesitated, knowing Harry would tell her off. What's happening to them? What's wrong? She turned back to her friends and found the twins, Ron and Parvati looking at her. They were all worried about the same thing. What's going on?

* * *

It was Valentine's Day at last. Hermione found a single red rose in Corin, her robin's beak after breakfast, with the familiar pale pink card looped onto its stem.

"See you later, Herm."

"'See you later'?" Hermione repeated as she stared at the card, "...'Herm'..."

There were only a small circle of people who would call her that, but still there was a chance it was just someone who knows people call her as Herm. She was getting more and more curious who it was. Thinking she'd think about it later, she went downstairs for breakfast. She was going to find out who was her secret Valentine today, and it's an important day for the Gryffindors too. What a day! She stuffed a wrapped box that she had prepared the night before into her cloak pocket carefully and smiled as she patted it from the outside of her cloak. It was Valentine's Day. How could she miss giving Fred a gift?

"Gryffindor! Gryffindor! Gryffindor! Gryffindor! Gryffindor! Gryffindor!" the crowds' excited shouting and hysterical screaming was booming in the air above them. The Gryffindor versus Slytherin Quidditch match was going to begin soon.

"Guess who my Secret Valentine was?" Parvati said with a wide grin as they waited for their friends to come out from the changing room. They were waiting in the corridor leading to the exit to the Quidditch grounds.

The Gryffindor boys came out from their changing room, straightening their uniforms as they walked out one by one.

"Who was it?" Hermione asked eagerly, "I don't know mine yet."

Parvati grinned, "You should. Mine's Dean Thomas! You couldn't believe it, I've been working with him on the One Day Valentine activity planning for weeks and I didn't realize why the chocolate cake was in the Student Association Conference Room when he could be the only one being there!"

Hermione laughed and was going to give a comment when Fred and George came out. Hermione fumbled the box in her pocket with a finger, thinking for second if she should give it to him here. She denied her thought in the end. Fred winked at Hermione and Hermione smiled back at him, raising her hand up, palm facing Fred. Fred slapped a high five with her as he walked past, the both laughing.

"You know, Hermione," Parvati said to her as she fixed Ron's collar for him, smirking, "I'm starting to wonder if you two are already..."

Hermione raised her eyebrows blushing a bit, "NO," she went silent for a while, "but I wish so."

She grinned. Parvati smirked too. Ron thanked her with a kiss and followed his brothers.

Harry came out last, looking weary as he closed the changing room door.

"You alright, Harry?" Parvati asked him, worried.

Harry nodded, but didn't speak, shrugging. The corridor was darker than before as he closed the changing room door. They could only see each other's outline from the light from the exit to the Quidditch ground.

He looked up and seeing Hermione's shining brown orbs, asking her quietly, "Will you still help me?"

Hermione could hear the seriousness in him, she nodded, assuring him.

Harry didn't shrug anymore, seemingly a little relaxed, "Go and watch the match in the Gryffindor booth, find Ginny... don't let her get out of sight," he said barely above a whisper but very surely.

Hermione nodded again, "I will."

"Ginny's like a sister to me," Parvati nodded too, "Even though I don't know what's happening here...I'll do the same."

Harry smiled slightly, "Thanks, and... can you tell her for me...'I'll win, and will be right back.' " With that, he left them, heading towards his team mates.

"Wait, Harry," Parvati called from behind.

Harry turned, eyebrows raised, "Yeah?"

"I'm just asking, but... Are you and Ginny dating?" her voice sounded unsure.

Hermione stared at Harry too, wanting to know as well.

Harry didn't say anything for a while. After a long while, he replied, "No... we're not."

Then he went off into the light. The crowd cheered. The match had begun.

* * *

"Ginny?" Hermione called from behind a shivering auburn-haired girl.

Ginny turned, her round blue orbs wide in surprise for a second before she calmed down again seeing it was her familiar friends, "hi," she said somewhat quietly, her voice covered by the other cheering audience.

"Hey Ginny," Parvati gave her a warm smile as she sat down beside her, "alone?"

Ginny shuddered. She looked around, and then nodded meekly at her brother's girlfriend. Her behavior was a great contrast with the cheering Gryffindor crowd.

Parvati smiled again, patting her on the shoulder, "Harry told me to tell you he'd be right back. And, that he'd win."

For a moment Ginny's cheek bloomed into a cherry red color but it faded away quickly again. Hermione watched her carefully. Ginny Weasly, as if fearing some invisible enemy, round eyes were constantly turning this way and that; her lips pursed, tensely forming a line. Her freckled cheeks which had always been slightly paler than her brothers'; today looked five times paler. You could have compared her with chalk. The two worried girls couldn't possibly resist from asking the reason that caused her frustration. Ginny looked like a helpless small animal, eyes wide searching for the predator that would jump at it without warning.

"What is wrong, Ginny," Hermione asked softly, taking Ginny's hand, "what is it that is haunting you so badly?"

Ginny winched, eyes down at her shoes. Hermione and Parvati both saw Ginny gulp. Then Ginny looked up, her eyes showing her desperate soul. Her pursed lips opened slightly, "Hermi---"

"AND THE SNITCH IS RELEASED!!" no one heard Ginny, and she swallowed her voice once more; Lee Jordan's thunderous scream was enough to cover up any soul's voice.

Both elder girls frowned, showing sympathy. Hermione mouthed if Ginny would like to talk somewhere else. Ginny waved vigorously, sitting firmly in her seat. It seemed that Harry had insisted her to stay where she was. Hermione nodded. She could have said she didn't mind if Ginny wanted to talk. But who would have wanted to miss this Quidditch match? Not even Ginny. And if there WAS something out there lurking around, staying there was surely the safest. Hermione and Parvati, sitting at both sides of Ginny, each held a hand of hers. It was the first time they saw Ginny smiled for many weeks.

The match was amazing. Harry found the snitch 30 minutes since the game started. Oddly, Slytherin was winning 100 points to Gryffindor. It was hard to say which side will win. The game players seemed to be high than usual. Well no wonder, it's Valentines Day. All the men players wanted to show off and get more attention. Malfoy noticed the snitch too and U-turned chasing right behind Harry. As every match the two Sneakers tried to knock each other down as they raced after their golden winning key. Lee Jordan's scream was getting more and more excited.

"Ooooh no! Malfoy, how could you! Malfoy had just punched Potter in the face! You filthy -----"McGonagall's lecture covered up the swear word, "It seems like Potter's glasses are shattered. Look! BOFF!! He's knocked Malfoy right outa his way! And wow that's gonna send some hundred girls fainting, he's thrown his glasses away! Uhh--- Where is the snitch?"

Booing and cheering and frantic screams were mixed into an ear ringing 'harmony'. The snitch was gone again.

Lee continued, "It seems like Malfoy is really pissed off, his attempt to knock Harry off his Firebolt is getting close to murder now! Heavens! He's just knocked Harry's back with his broomstick!"

Another storm of booing and cheering.

Harry lost his balance with this sudden attack, sending him falling forward. His Firebolt mistaking this as a sign of speeding up, accelerated rapidly. This sent Harry falling off his broom, with only the tip of his fingers grabbing at his flying friend's pole. Screams of fear were heard. Lee gasped into the microphone.

Two red-headed Gryffindor Beaters came to rescue as fast as lightning. One tugged Harry up to the balanced Firebolt; and the other flipped his pole beating a coming crazy Bludger at Malfoy before it hit them three. It was Fred and George. The Gryffindor supporters cheered like mad as Harry slapped a high five with his twin teammates. Then he suddenly sped downwards at high speed. Malfoy got badly hit in the face, his nose bleeding, but he didn't hesitate chasing after his rival. He saw it too – the snitch.

The girls at the booth were as excited as the players. Ginny seemed too had forgotten her worries for a moment, holding her hands together praying Harry would get the snitch. Neither she nor the two other girls noticed someone came and went beside them.

"AND POTTER GOT THE SNITCH!!! GRYFFINDOR'S VICTORY AGAIN!!!" Lee's excited scream marked an end to the Quidditch game.

The Gryffindor players raced around the Quidditch ground, lining up and making formations in glee. Harry waved the snitch at the Gryffindor booth happily from the tip of the formation. They all cheered crazily. It took the Professors forever to get them off the air and back into the changing room. Fred was the last. He flew up to the Gryffindor booth.

"Hermione!"

Hermione and the other two girls were leaving the booth when they turned around to find Fred coming towards them.

"Fred?! You shouldn't be here, Professor McGonagall will be mad!" she looked up at him wide-eyed as he hovered before her.

He smirked, not caring at all, "Give me your hand," his hand was reached out to her.

Hermione's jaw dropped and she stared at him, "wh...what...?"

Fred laughed then reached out picking her up at the waist.

"FRED!!?" Hermione gasped, being set on his lap.

"I'm borrowing her, Parvati!" Fred laughed with a wink as he took off with Hermione.

Parvati chuckled, "don't drop her!" she shouted back, taking Ginny with her.

Ginny didn't move. She kept looking down at something in her hands.

"Ginny?" Parvati asked, peering into Ginny's face.

Ginny stuck the lump of paper into her robe pocket, "Let's go," she said quickly, tugging Parvati into the crowd. She didn't give Parvati a chance to ask what the note was and where it came from. Parvati felt there was something seriously wrong with her. It was getting worse at the moment but she couldn't ask as they ran.

They were only a corridor away from the Gryffindor changing room when a flow of sixth years went running between them, Ginny and Parvati were separated. Parvati could hardly see Ginny over the tall sixth year boys. When the mob had vanished around the corner, Ginny was nowhere to be seen. How come? How was she to explain to Harry? Parvati's instincts told her she had to act fast.

* * *

On the other hand, Fred and Hermione had flown to the middle of the Quidditch ground, high in the air.

"Fred, what is this?" Hermione asked in despair. It was the only thing she could think of saying. Her cheeks were scarlet as she was sitting on Fred's lap and their faces were unbelievably close.

"Haven't you realized who I am, 'Herm'?" he grinned, popping a rose from thin air into her face. He then gently placed the red rose in surprised Hermione's palm.

Hermione gasped, understanding at last, "...you!"

Fred chuckled and straightened his face, then smiled again, saying sweetly, "Happy Valentines, Herm."

Hermione smiled and reached into her pocket for the gift she had prepared for him, "Happy Valentines, Fred." She placed it into his hands.

Fred didn't expect this; he took his wand from his uniform pocket and said a spell to open the box. It was a heart-shaped hand-made chocolate. Hermione whispered something softly to it and pink icings started to write "Happy Valentines Fred!" onto the chocolaty surface. Fred smirked as he admired it.

"Is this for me or for your secret Valentine?" he teased, giving the chocolate a bite, "yum, delicious."

Hermione chuckled, "No matter how charming he turns out to be, I wouldn't give my heart to someone I don't know, would I?"

Fred smirked, his cheeks slightly reddened. He was trying to hide his embarrassment with a smile but that wasn't working with his increasing blood circulation. Hermione blushed too knowing she had just said something quite reckless. But she meant it. And though it was embarrassing she didn't regret her words. She had wanted to tell him for so long. Fred's grip around her waist tightened as they both opened their mouths wanting to say the same thing. But someone below interrupted.

"HERMIONE! FRED! HELP!"

They both looked down. It was Parvati. Ron was beside her too. They both looked pale as snow. It looked like Fred and Hermione's confession will be left for later.

* * *

Only moments before when she got lost of Parvati's sight, Ginny was violently taken by the waist and a towel covered her face before she could scream or see. When she could see light again she was taken into a dark classroom. She had heard the door locked, and looked up, finding at least seven or eight seniors looking down at her with disgusting smirks. Ginny struggled as one of them bound her to a seat with a rope. What she had feared had happened. And Harry was nowhere.

"Well, well, Virginia Weasly. No knight to protect you today?" Michael Corner laughed slyly as he circled Ginny clockwise, taking her wand and breaking it in two. "Where's my mini skirt baby, huh?" He placed his hand on her left thigh and squeezed it, peering into her pale face.

Ginny frowned and stomped onto his foot, snarling, "Don't touch me, you filthy pervert!"

Corner frowned as he took his foot back, banging his fists onto the arms of the chair. Ginny jumped in surprise. He looked furious for a second, but then his mischievous smirk returned.

"Seems like this sexy girl is still trying to pretend she's not interested, huh boys?" he said, turning to his chuckling sidekicks, "tie her legs too."

"I AM NOT INTERESTED IN HAVING SEX WITH YOU, MICHAEL CORNER," Ginny stated angrily, kicking the guy who tried to tie her legs to the legs of the chair. Yet her strength can't compare.

Corner sat on her lap once Ginny was tied. And he reached into her skirt, "When you went to the Ball with me in that sexy dress?" he laughed sarcastically.

"I wasn't showing off to YOU," Ginny said under her breath, shivering as she felt his hand reaching her inner thigh. She could have said it loudly, but when Harry came into her mind, she couldn't say it aloud.

Still, Corner didn't miss those words.

"Ginny, Ginny," he sighed, waving his head, his voice lower than before, "you humiliated me once, you're not doing that twice," his other hand reached for her tie, and it was off in seconds.

"That's all you care about, sex and your status," Ginny spat in disgust, struggling as he unbuttoned her shirt, "STOP IT, AH!" she shrieked, trying to get out of his grip and instead falling backwards with her chair and Corner with her.

"I asked a switch with the Slytherin Quidditch team just to leave me enough strength to fight you and in case your sweet virgin knight who wouldn't even move a finger of yours. Don't even think about escaping, Virginia. You're no virgin from today," Corner spoke in excitement, pulling Ginny's shirt off her small frame. The sidekicks enjoyed themselves by watching.

"No!"

"This is in our way," the rope around her waist was pulled off as he reached to her back for the bra clasp.

She could hardly get out of his strong grip, "Don't! HELP! HARRY!"

BANG!

A figure with his leg raised to kick the door open stood there in the light, wand in his hand.

"Destralevendo!" shots of lightning hit the coming sidekicks and threw them to the opposite side of the room. Two more of them with wands came forward. Harry angrily flung his fist at them, hitting them violently as his wand threw spells at more of them.

"Let go of her!" He shouted furiously, advancing towards Ginny.

Corner smirked and picked Ginny up taking her deep into the room, "Get him!" he commanded as he struggled to keep Ginny still.

Ginny kicked him hard at his critical part. Michael yelped. You can't tell in words how painful that was. Ginny ran into the crowd, Harry reached her and held her in his arms. He turned to the door, but the sidekicks closed it before he had turned. They were trapped.

Corner looked as if he would have killed Ginny at the spot. He stood up rather wobbly and tried hard to keep his smirk on. It would have been a pitiful sight if you didn't know what he did before this.

Corner stood up straight at last, laughing with a hint of bitterness and boastfulness, "thought you could get out alive?"

The sidekicks surrounded Harry and Ginny, forming a circle around them. Harry held his wand firmly as spells of all kinds ran through his mind. Eight wands in his face now, if he were the only one here to keep safe of he would have already hexed them all without hesitation. But he feared for Ginny's safety.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Ginny said quietly, feeling she had owed him so much for coming to save her out of her own mess.

"I'm not gonna let them hurt you, Ginny," Harry whispered, holding her tight in his arms. Even in the dim light he could see the red marks Corner left on Ginny's neck and around her collar bone. His furiousness was growing every second as he glared at Michael with his emerald green eyes. Ginny realized Harry had seen the markings. She pulled up her shirt, trying to hold the shirt together now that there are no buttons on it anymore. His words made her blush, and she almost smiled even though knowing it was not time for that.

"Seven to two, Potty, with one bitch on your side only," Michael Corner whispered slyly, "you won't make it."

Harry was irritated by the word 'bitch'. He opened his mouth pointing his wand at Corner, but Ginny was faster. The move was so sudden; no one could react fast enough to grab her, for her safety or their own.

POOF! she punched him in his face hard.

"You're NOT to call him THAT!"

That triggered the fight. Harry started hexing every one of the men around him and especially those trying to take hold of Ginny. Michael slapped Ginny in the face sending her crashing into a desk as he wiped his bleeding nose with his other hand. Harry lost it and started a combat fight with Corner. It was a battle of mixing blood and curses.

The fight was of course getting hard on Ginny and Harry as they were after all weaker than the great gang. They were forced to a corner, when a great bang was heard from behind them. There was then another round of curse shouting and hexing. Harry felt a strong tug from behind and Ginny ran into Hermione's arms.

Parvati and Ron, Hermione holding Ginny in her arms, Fred, George and Alicia, Angelina and Lee who came to the rescue once hearing Harry was in trouble. Of course there was Harry too. Ten of them with nine wands pointed in the weary Ravenclaw senior's faces.

"Ten Gryffindors to you seven bloody perverts," Ron Weasly stated superiorly.

Two of the sidekicks of Corner passed out due to exhaustion.

George smirked, "Uoops, two down. Ten to five."

"Are you to fight, or not?" Fred questioned. He was boiling with anger now that he saw what happened to Ginny.

The twin's wands were directly pointed at Corner's face.

"The anger of harming their sister is unusually great, Michael Corner," Angelina said coldly, nodding.

Michael winched. He was shamed. But this battle was not possible to win.

"Let's go," Hermione said at last.

The Weaslys turned to Hermione as if it's impossible to leave without killing Corner.

"Ginny insists it," Hermione said, holding up Ginny who was about to fall, "she doesn't want anyone to get hurt anymore."

Harry rushed over and picked Ginny up, "I'm taking her to the Hospital Wing."

Ron went with him, "you need some help yourself, Harry," He said worriedly, insisting to carry Ginny himself.

Fred and George stalked over to Corner. He backed away a few steps as they approached.

"If you ever touch a HAIR of our sister," Fred warned, picking Corner up at his collar.

"We swear in the name of Merlin you won't get out of it alive," George finished the warning by shaking Corner hard.

Corner laughed with his nose. Fred raised his fist, ready to hit him.

"Let's go, Fred," Hermione came in between quietly, taking Fred's hand gently before it began to hit Corner.

Corner shrugged, glaring at the twins, straightening his shirt.

Hermione glanced at him, "And uh, Corner?"

Corner turned.

Hermione's punch was hard.

* * *

On their way back, they bumped right into Snape. He demanded them to return to their dormitory before the sun is down. Hermione wanted to go to the Hospital Wing to see how Ginny and Harry were but it seemed impossible. Further more, she wanted to understand how all these had happened in the first place. It seemed that she had to wait till tomorrow. When they reached the stairs up to their common room, the sun had already gone between the hills.

"Don't worry, Ron is with them," Parvati comforted her, "And, this ain't related but, that punch felt good, Hermione. That felt SO good."

Angelina was steaming as she agreed to Parvati's comment, "that punch was for all ladies who get disrespected by men like Corner."

She had been with Michael Corner in Potions classes as partners for two continuous years, having him eyeing her up and down all the time. She could have hit him herself if Snape didn't favor Ravenclaw's to Gryffindor students. Well, Snape favored any student to a Gryffindor as long as they don't contradict with Slytherin's interest.

"I don't believe by physically hurting him we can change his attitude," Hermione said with a sigh, starting to regret what she did for a little bit, "but I wouldn't have been able to leave that place without hitting him hard. That bastard." Overall she was glad she did though.

Fred grinned, thanking her for stopping him as they turned to corner to find the Fat Lady's portrait, "I bet I wouldn't have been able to stop myself with one punch if it were me. I'd had lost my logic."

"Chocolate BananasS!" George demanded at the portrait, "the Fat Lady insists on the clear pronunciation of the 'S'," he added to his friends behind him as he entered the common room which was crowded with people enjoying the celebration party of their House's victory. It looked more like a Valentine Party though. The usual balloons on the walls were the shape of hearts tonight. And people were dancing to slow music.

"And Corner wouldn't have just let you punch him and leave," Lee Jordan said to Fred as he threw an arm onto Fred's shoulder, entering the room, "I'm glad you didn't."

Hermione smiled bitterly as she entered the hole in the portrait, "Sometimes, being a girl has its virtue."

They laughed as they entered the bluster made by the Gryffindor crowd. But Fred stopped Hermione at the entrance.

"Fred?"

"Can we talk," Fred said, taking her out of the Fat Lady's portrait.

Lee understood. With a smirk and a friendly punch on Fred's shoulder he ran off to where George and the other Quidditch team mates were. He was going to ask Angelina to dance.

The portrait closed the entrance, the Fat Lady muttering something like, "why have to name me the Fat Lady? Why not the Chubby Lady, or the Plump Lady? That sound sweeter at least..." as she did so.

Hermione raised her eyebrows looking up at Fred's deep blue eyes, "What is it, Fred?"

Fred sighed and waved his head, "Hermione Granger, have you forgotten what we were talking about before the Corner incident?" he asked, widening his eyes, a naughty smirk on his lips.

Hermione gasped softly. After all those things that had happened, she DID forget.

Fred gazed at Hermione as her expressions changed from confusion to surprise then a sheepish blush. It was one of the things he liked about Hermione. She was very honest to how she felt. It all showed.

Hermione babbled as she tried to say something to link to what she wanted to say before. But Fred knew what she wanted to say already.

"Hey Herm," Fred said, placing his hands on her arms.

Hermione looked up. And Fred leaned in, his lips gently touching hers.

She was taken by surprise, but soon closed her eyes cherishing the sweet moment. They both pulled away after a while, unhurriedly; slowly raising their eyelids.

"Be my valentine," they whispered simultaneously in each other's arms.


	20. Close Your Eyes

**note:** At long last...Last chapter. Short chapter. Download the song **_"Close your eyes"_** by westlife to get the feel of it. Enjoy )

**Chapter 20 Close Your Eyes**

"So you mean... Corner tried to force Ginny into 'it' at the Ball and Ginny slapped him in the face and ran," Hermione said.

"Serves him right," Parvati said.

"But why did you know?" Ron wasn't convinced, still sounding a little annoyed, "it's always like this. What's happening to my family, I never know. It's always someone else!"

Hermione knew Ron was talking about how she knew that the twins were skipping a year, while he didn't.

Harry glanced at Ron, thinking a second and explaining again, "Well, I knew it by chance. When Ginny returned here, she found an owl with a threatening letter from Corner," Harry pointed at the common room floor, "saying he'd get back on her for humiliating him."

Parvati snorted.

"It was then I came back here to find her crying," Harry looked up, hearing the Fat Lady letting in a few girls. The one he was looking for, not there. He continued, "So I asked her what was wrong, but she wouldn't tell. That's when she dropped the letter, and I read it."

"That's why," Hermione said, convinced.

Harry nodded at Hermione, "I promised to keep it a secret. Ginny didn't want Ron and the other of her brothers to know."

"Why?" Ron asked, quite loudly; sitting forward to hear the reason.

A few girls eaves-dropping jumped in surprise, Harry shushed Ron. Ron went red, and then whispered again, "...why?"

"You would have gone mad and started a fight with him. She didn't want you to get into trouble. And if that alarmed the teachers, she'd probably have to admit what happened between her and Corner to defend you," Hermione explained smartly.

"And that's embarrassing," Parvati added.

Harry nodded, thankful for their explanation.

Ron mumbled, not very convinced but having to admit he would have lost his reason as they said so. In fact he was still boiling with anger. Any moment he saw Michael Corner and his gang, he felt violent enough to kill them. But Ginny had insisted him on not starting a fight. Groaning, he fell into the sofa again. He looked up, glancing at Harry.

The Fat Lady let in more girls again. A bright girl ran into to the room with a few more friends of hers, strays of auburn hair flowing as she ran. She was taking a golden tray with her. Harry smiled a little at the sight of Ginny. Ron didn't miss that.

"You like my sister, don't you, Harry," Ron stated, more than asking. There was a grin on his lips.

Harry took glances at Ron, grinning funnily and glancing at Ginny again. His eyes met with Ginny's.

Smiling toothily, she skipped towards them and asked with a wide grin, "Chocolate cookies! I baked them with my friends! Want some?"

"Where did you bake these?" Hermione asked with a smile, taking one, "thank you."

Parvati thanked Ginny and took a cookie, "Mmm, delicious!"

"Thanks. In the kitchen, the house elves let us use the oven," Ginny replied merrily, pointing out the most beautifully baked one to Harry.

Harry picked up two cookies and handed Ron the more beautiful one while admiring the other. Ron pouted a little then took the cookie with a grin.

"She's sweet," Harry said, biting down at the cookie as he looked up at Ron with a small grin. Ron smirked. Hermione and Parvati chuckled.

Ginny looked confused, "She? You mean the cookie?"

The four boys and girls laughed.

* * *

The next day after lessons, Hermione was found studying in the library. Fred quietly approached her from behind and leaned down whispering in her ear, "hey."

Hermione, startled, looked up from her reference book quickly, coming eye to eye with the young man's twinkling blue eyes. Fred chuckled, putting his books down on the desk and pulling a seat beside her. He said in a low voice, "what are you reading?"

Hermione blushed a bit and smiled, showing him the words on the cover of the book she was reading, "Ordinary Wizard Levels – History, In the Eyes of a Wizard."

Fred got his eyes widen to the extent of dropping them. Then he smirked, asking her with a hint of mock, "Can't wait to study more, can you? Hermione Granger?" a chuckle followed as he flipped opened his books and notes.

Hermione grinned while she put down her pen, looking up at him, "You can't wait to graduate, can you? Fred Weasly?"

Fred grinned, but then the curls on his lips dropped slightly. He looked up, gazing into her eyes. Hermione knew what he was thinking. He's graduating soon if he passed the N.E.W.T.s, which meant that they wouldn't be seeing each other for a long time. Hermione honestly felt confused. She wanted him to stay, but also wished his success so he can walk on to his dream. Fred was feeling the same. Their gazes were locked on each other for a while, and then they both looked down at their books again. The atmosphere was very uncomfortable, until Fred gently held her hand that was placed on the desk, "Don't stop popping the roses every day, Herm," his voice was gentle.

Hermione nodded, smiling slightly; the odd feeling melting away.

* * *

The days flew by, Fred and George had already finished their N.E.W.T.s exams and the last Quidditch match they'd play in Hogwarts ended in great victory. It was already early March, and the day of the twins, to Hermione especially Fred's leave was impending. She couldn't help it but sigh all the time. No one could tell how much she was going to miss him, especially then that they were together. How much time do we have left? When would be the next time we'd meet? Where? How? All those questions were blowing her mind away. Still she didn't forget to pop a rose a day. Not to mention her noticing how not much roses were left. By the time it was only a week away from Fred's leave, she had noticed that all the time the number of roses had its meaning. There were only seven roses left --- it was a countdown. Hermione couldn't help but break into tears when she realized that. They had tried to spend every free minute with each other but it was barely possible with Fred having his exams and Quidditch trainings, and Hermione working on her S.P.E.W. issues. AND now there was only one week left.

Torrential rain was hitting her window panes and the wind shook the glasses between. It had been raining like this for many days then. Then there was a bang at her window. Hermione looked up in surprise. Something was banging against her window.

It was an owl. How did it fly here from the Owlerly in this weather?

Hermione crawled towards her window and let the poor drenched thing in. As if complaining for her hesitation to let it in, the grey owl pecked the top of her head rather violently and dropped something on her bed.

"Aw!" Hermione groaned, and then clasped her mouth in fear of waking her roommates. Parvati made a small moan but didn't wake up. 

The owl landed on her drawer by the roses and fluttered its feathers until it was dry. Then it dozed off slightly, as if wanting to rest before leaving for the Owlerly. Hermione stared at it, not knowing to be angry that it messed up her corner of the room or pity it for its weariness. Then her eyes turned to the letter on her bed.

Hermione flopped down on her bed and tore off the envelope. Her eyes scanned through the neatly scribed words. The writer's habit showed to her at once who wrote it.

_Dear Hermione, _

_What a night. It's been raining cats and dogs for ages. I didn't want to send the owl out in this weather, that'd be beastly. But the skies don't seem to get any better. I see you're awake; you have your bedside lamp on. Don't tell me you've been "day"-dreaming again at night, Hermione._

Hermione wiped her old tears and chuckled, trying not to wonder how Fred could see THAT from his room.

_Well anyway, I hope you didn't fall asleep without turning the lights off coz this owl I'm sending you might die in the cold and I'll be really blaming myself for its death._

She turned to the owl and patted its head. It hooted slightly and dozed off again.

_Enough attention on that owl, Herm._

Hermione widen her eyes at these words. Were they there before or did they appear because she touched the owl? You never know what tricks Fred knew.

_And don't wonder if this letter's jinxed coz the answer's no. I just know you too well. (winks)_

Hermione smiled sheepishly.

_Meet me at the Astronomy Tower's door the coming Friday after supper. I've got something to tell you. Good night, sweet dreams._

Love, Fred

The coming Friday? Hermione looked up at her calendar. Friday night, that was the night before Fred's leave the next morning on Saturday. What was he up to?

She looked at the letter again. "Good night, sweet dreams." Miserable she had felt a while ago, tears didn't seem to want to splash out any longer. Not that the depressing feeling was all gone now, the fact Fred was leaving wasn't going to change; but the letter did cheer her up. "Good night, sweet dreams." Yea, she knew she would have one, tonight.

* * *

"Fred?"

Fred looked up to Hermione's voice, retreating from swinging his leg unconsciously.

"Hey, Hermione."

"Am I late?" she asked, seeing that Fred had been waiting for a while.

"No, not really...actually, you're early," he laughed.

"So, what is it you want to talk about?" Hermione asked, now she was the one kicking the floor unconsciously.

Fred looked at his hands, and then looked up at her, clearing his throat.

"Hermione, did you..."

"Miss Granger, Mr. Weasly, what do you think you are doing up here at this time of the day?"

It was a shrill voice which no doubt belonged to Professor McGonagall.

"I...we..." Hermione tried to explain.

"It's nothing, Professor, really," Fred said at once, making a solemn face.

Both sides went into silence.

McGonagall raised an eyebrow and shot glances at one student to the other, "now go back to your common room at once."

It was an order, obviously.

Fred and Hermione followed McGonagall down the stairs simultaneously.

"I'm sorry," Fred said in a whisper. He'd gotten her into trouble.

Hermione waved her head meaning it was okay.

She didn't get to know what Fred wanted to say that night. Back in the common room it was far too crowded with ears.

Hermione went back into her dormitory to find one rose left in her glass vase. She sighed. She hadn't been able to pop this one rose that morning because it was such a pity to see it gone. She couldn't bear not seeing roses beside her bed.

Tomorrow morning I will, she promised herself. Fred will be leaving tomorrow. She wanted to at least keep the rose until then.

* * *

"Hermione, Hermione," a soft gentle voice called in Hermione's head, "wake up. It's Saturday morning."

Hermione opened her eyes to find Parvati peering down on her, shaking her awake, "you don't want to let the memory of your wake-up look be the strongest impression on Fred for the next few months, do you?" she chuckled.

Hermione shot up and scrambled to get her bathroom goods, "thanks for waking me up!" she called as she scrammed for a morning bath.

Parvati laughed as she braided her long hair.

A while later Hermione turned up in a bathrobe with damp hair hanging on her shoulders. It took her forever to dry and pamper her hair. Looking up at the clock she saw that she had only got an hour until Fred's train's departure. She was so grateful she'd chosen her outfit during the night.

"Don't you hurry, Hermione, we've still got an hour," Parvati comforted, putting on makeup unhurriedly.

"An hour isn't enough," Hermione replied, zipping up her jacket. Her eyes landed on the last rose by her bedside.

Enchanted it was, a brilliant blood red ever since it was given to her; never did it wilt, as ravishing as it was the first day she had it in her hands. And now this moment, she was to let it disappear into thin air, eternally.

Hermione took her time admiring the blossom until reaching out and touching it gently with a finger, wishing to burn it strongly into her memory.

"Pop a rose a day..." she whispered.

Her touch made it shiver and the flower faded away. To her surprise, there wasn't a pop, nor a candy like usual. There before her was a minute box wrapped with satin floating in the air.

"What's that?" Parvati asked, turning from the mirror to Hermione.

"I...I don't know," came her reply.

Hermione curiously touched the box, it landed on her quivering palm; and with a click, uncovered within.

A ring. It was a silver ring.

Parvati was so surprised her jaw dropped. But still it didn't compare to Hermione's speechless face.

Shivering worse, she picked the ring up. Simultaneously, a ballade started singing itself from the box. It was the same song she had once heard when Fred, being her secret Valentine, left trails of rose petals to her cupboard.

Parvati gave Hermione a pat. Hermione, still shivering, looked up at her. Fred, Fred gave her this. At once, she ran out of the room, grasping the ring tightly in her hand.

**_If you wanna know...  
_**  
She ran down the stairs.

_**Tomorrow morning I have to leave  
But wherever I may be  
Best believe I'm thinking of you  
I can't believe how much I love you**_

Fred wasn't in the common room.

**_All we have is here tonight  
We don't want to waste this time  
Give me something to remember  
Baby put your lips on mine_**

_Where are you?_

**And I'll love you, forever**  
  
"Where's Fred?" she hastily asked Ron and Harry who were having breakfast at the Dining Hall.

**_Anytime that we find ourselves apart_**

They waved their heads. Hermione left without asking further. He had to be somewhere in the school.

**_You just close your eyes  
And you'll be here with me  
_**  
Passing through a corridor above the school entrance, she caught a glimpse of two red heads walking towards the carriages.

**_Just look to your heart  
And that's where I'll be  
_**  
"Fred!"

He turned around, stopping, "Hermione?"

There was no sign of her.

"Hearing things?" a seventh year asked him as he walked by. They were going to pack their things onto the carriage before leaving.

Fred nodded, picking up his baggage again.

_**If you just close your eyes  
Till you're drifting away  
You'll never be too far from me  
If you close your eyes**_

"Have you said goodbye to Hermione?" George asked, nudging him in the elbow.

Fred waved his head, "I didn't want to wake her." It was half a lie.

"It might be the last in months," George reminded him. His words hit him hard.

**_I know I'm gonna see you again  
But promise me that you won't forget  
Cause as long as you remember  
A part of us will be together_**

Fred turned; he knew he'd regret if he didn't.

**_So even when you're fast asleep  
Look for me inside your dreams_**

And he saw her.

**_Keep believing in what we're sharing_**

Hermione, gasping for breathe.

**_And even when I'm not there to tell you  
I'll, I'll love, love you forever_**

Their eyes met.

**_Anytime that I can't be where you are_**

"Fred..." She couldn't wait any longer. Unconsciously, she climbed onto the stone wall.

**"HERMIONE!"**

**_You just close your eyes  
And you'll be here with me  
Just look to your heart  
And that's where I'll be_**

**_If you just close your eyes  
Till you're drifting away  
You'll never be too far from me  
If you close your eyes_**

He caught her in time.

**_Is there anywhere that far?  
Anytime you're feeling low  
Is there anywhere that love cannot reach?  
Oh no_**

"Are you going to scare me out of my mind, young lady?!" he shouted angrily at her in his arms, "what the hell were you thinking!?"

**_It could be anywhere on earth  
_**  
"I..I'm sorry. I... just,"

**_It could be anywhere I'll be  
Oh baby if you want to see_**

Fred didn't let her finish.

**_You just close your eyes..._**

His kiss was tense, passionate, strong...

**_And you'll be here with me  
Look to your heart  
And that's where I'll be  
If you just close your eyes  
Till you're drifting away  
You'll never be too far from me_**

If you close you eyes

Their lips parted slowly, both blushing fiercely. They would have blushed even more if they noticed the crowd cheering around them.

Hermione fluttered her eyelashes, slowly pulling away from him, her eyes not leaving his.

"The ring," she said suddenly, unfolding her hand, "I found it this morning." She said it apologetically. She then had known this was the reason why Fred asked her to meet him the night before.

Fred laughed, "I thought you would have mentioned it last night, but apparently I was wrong. Should have remembered you're the type that'd keep the rose 'til today."

She chuckled. Then said, "And, the song..."

Fred smiled, taking the ring from her.

"Hermione, no matter where I go, where I am," he toke her left hand, his voice calm and serious.

"Remember me. Think of me when you need me," he slipped the ring into her fourth finger, "Call me when you want to see me," he lifted his head, looking at her deep brown eyes, "And I will come to you. I will always think of you... I love you."

It was a day that Hermione will never ever forget...

_**If you just close your eyes  
And you'll be here with me  
Just look to your heart  
And that's where I'll be  
If you just close your eyes  
Till you're drifting away  
You'll never be too far from me**_

If you close your eyes... 


	21. Epilogue

**Note:** download "Close Your Eyes" by westlife if you haven't yet! It'll provide better effect.

**The Epilogue**

It was the end of another school year; Professor McGonagall put down her quill on her desk. The last exams papers were corrected. She pushed her spectacles up her nose and stretched her boney fingers.

"Do you want a cup of tea, Professor?" a young professor asked respectfully from the other side of the teacher's office, pouring hot English tea into her own cup. She wore a casual robe just right for being a Quidditch teacher. Since the former Professor retired, she had taken her place.

"Yes, yes, thank you. And I do think it's time you can stop addressing me such respectfully as 'professor' constantly, Angelina," Professor McGonagall said briskly, standing up and wiping her spectacles at the window for good light.

Angelina Johnson blushed and replied as she strolled over to where Minerva McGonagall was standing at, "but it's hard to call you by your name, professor, after 7 years of calling you what I do..."

"I didn't think you would be back to teach the students, really," Professor McGonagall said with a small smile as she examined her spectacles in the sunlight, "and Lee Jordan as well," something in the sky caught Minerva's eye. She stopped speaking.

Angelina smiled bitterly. Lee was back to be Hagrid's helper as a game keeper. In other words, he was staying to be the Quidditch announcer for he was the best in many years (though showing favor to the Gryffindors). "He really should watch his words when he announces though, the other students keep complaining..." Angelina gave the cup to McGonagall.

The old professor didn't take the cup thankfully. Instead, her eyes were set on the cloud of 'something' circling the school building high up above. Angelina's eyes naturally followed her and saw what she saw. She couldn't help but smirk.

"I must have lost my mind," Minerva McGonagall gasped, "or are those I see flying around the Astronomy Tower real?"

Without hesitation, she stormed out of the office.

* * *

A couple hours before McGonagall smelt something fishy outside the school building; in the Gryffindor common room were two boys and a girl, settling cozily against the warmth of the fire.

"You know, I almost thought those two will break up before the end of our 5th year," Ron said, lying back on the sofa he had been sitting on for seven years now, whenever he had the chance in the common room, "Hermione always complained Fred was not writing enough letters to her."

Harry smirked and waved his head. Hermione and Fred? Nah. Those two were the most strongly-bonded pair he knew. Well... his eyes turned to the blue eyed-beauty smiling up at him in his arms and he smiled back too. Well, maybe not as strong as us. Ginny leaned up and kissed Harry's cheek. It was a motion of hers that sent a small current up Ron's spine, he couldn't get used to it still over the years - his sister, kissing someone outside the family, and no other but his best friend.

"So, when's Hermione coming back?" Ginny asked Harry in a refreshing voice. She also turned to her now 18-year-old brother, hoping for an answer. She had grown up a lot during the past few years. As Harry was around 6 feet tall (still, Ron was 2 inches taller), Ginny was only half a head shorter than him. Skinny as she was in the past, now that boney figure of hers had given way to a slender curvy frame. Her long straight auburn hair of childhood had grown a lot browner as well. Though that gave an excuse to George and Fred to tease her by owl-mail that she was not a part of the family, Harry just laughed and kissed her saying she looked beautiful anyway. Her personality had changed a lot too. No more bashfulness was seen. Being a part of the Student Association, she had become brisk and smart.

"I really need her help in the S.P.E.W. activities, the young ones are helpless," Ginny complained, folding her arms.

Harry smiled bitterly, "you'll need to work on your own next year, Ginny."

"She'll be back anytime now!" Parvati answered Ginny's question with a chuckle as she walked into the common room, she was thinking the same thing as Harry then: Ginny was growing more and more like the old Hermione herself. Parvati hadn't changed much, as bright as she had always had been; as charming as she was for all time.

"Great, I hope they're not going to make a big fuss though, it'll alert the teachers," Ginny said worriedly as she and Harry made place for Parvati to sit on the seat nearest to Ron.

"Actually, I DO hope THEY are going to make a big fuss," Harry said laughing, playing with Ginny's hair with a finger.

Ron agreed with a grin, "Yea, it's our last day at Hogwarts."

"Maybe we should set off now," Parvati chuckled as well.

"Set off?" no one answered Ginny, "for what?"

* * *

"Harry! Ron! Parvati! Ginny!" Hermione shouted from high up in the air as she approached them from the skies. Fred sitting with her on the broom tried hard balancing as Hermione waved frantically at her friends.

"Hermione, you're going to lead us into a double suicide -- ahhh!" the broom turned one side sharply and swirled 720 degrees in midair until they got dizzy.

Hermione screamed in fear of falling off... But of course, she didn't.

Fred laughed with tears on his cheeks as he landed them both on the soft grass of Hogwarts gently. Hermione was white in fear but she still had her senses to turn around and punch Fred in the belly, "you freak! You did that on purpose!" Then they were both laughing.

Harry and the others caught up in no time.

"Glad you're safe, Hermione!" Parvati greeted with glee, giving Hermione a big hug.

"Thanks, sorry for the worrying," Hermione said to everyone with a smile, hugging Parvati back. Her cheeks were apple red with the chilly wind; Fred gently wrapped his muffler around her neck, wrapping her straight golden brown hair with it. She had finally permed it straight. She thanked him with a kiss.

"When you said you're leaving for Economia, I shivered at the thought you're going to repeat our crazy journey flying to Hogwarts from King's Cross!" Ron exclaimed. Of course, he was talking about when he and Harry missed the Hogwarts Express in their second year.

"Ooooh rubbish," Hermione sassed, "I had help of course," she looked up at the school and found a twinkling eye looking down at her from one of the school corridors.

Harry looked up. Of course, the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore. He had always been a help when he decided they needed it well.

"Floo powder from the school?" Harry asked Hermione.

Hermione waved her head and chuckled, "nonsense, if everyone could use floo powder in and out of Hogwarts, this wouldn't be the safest place in the world apart from Grinngott's!"

"You're getting sassy once you have Fred with you, Hermione," Ron mumbled.

"That's why I didn't want you to go out with him," Fred said in Ron's voice.

Ron groaned. Ginny chuckled and replied, "I know, you were allowed to use it from somewhere in Hogsmeade."

"I told you Ginny will be as smart as Hermione is one day," a familiar voice said from behind them.

"George!" they all said at once.

"Nice ride?" Fred asked casually as if he knew George was there all the time.

"Sweet Wind Lady, favoring me all the way," George replied with a grin.

"How come you came back? Your owl only reached us yesterday saying you'd be back next month!" Ron questioned him.

"I knew it, that owl. It left last month! Waaay to old and waaay too slow. How could I miss our sweet little brother's graduation day?" George said teasingly as he landed.

"And I didn't want you to be here," Ron said, rolling his eyes, "one Fred, now another George." Of course, it was a lie. They all laughed.

* * *

"I want to go upstairs and check my room before we leave," Hermione told Fred as all of them headed for the common room.

"I'll go with you," Fred said, following Hermione to the other side of the stairs heading to the Head Prefect's Dormitories.

"No, no, you're coming to the common room with us," George hissed, tugging Fred at the collar, "we need to plan for the ceremony." Fred groaned.

"What ceremony? You guys got to be hiding something from me!" Ginny growled and stomped her foot in front of the Fat Lady.

"I won't open the door even if you stomp your foot, young lady!" The Fat Lady scowled.

"I'll tell you in a minute, Gin," Harry chuckled, taking Ginny into the common room.

"I'll get to you later, Hermione. Wait for me, k?" Fred assured her as he followed George into the common room for the preparation for the 'ceremony'.

Hermione nodded with a smile. Fred never broke a promise and this wasn't one she would be scared he'd break. She reached the door to her bedroom she'd been using for a whole year. It was not a place she could find all her friends chatting away in happiness. But it surely had been a place where she found peace, no matter who lived in the room beside hers.

The forest green door beside her oak red one opened quietly as an unaware Hermione turned the key to her room.

"Hey," a voice cooed behind her. Hermione dodged at once, even before he reached out completely. She knew it was coming. Not that she knew he was there; he did a pretty good job sneaking up on her. But this sneaking-from-behind had been repeated so many times during the year, she had developed a pretty good reflex to it.

"Ha!" she sneered as she turned around to look at Draco Malfoy. She straightened her robes, smirking at her success.

"Not that you can escape really," Malfoy laughed, grasping for her wrist when she was off guard for a second in her short victory.

Hermione gasped as he tightened his grip on her and pulled her close, his face leaning into hers. Hermione's face lost a little color as she felt his soft breath in her face. His breath was minty; he'd just brushed his teeth. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut in fear.

Poof! A cold wind swiped her face. Malfoy blew onto her face jokingly and let her go, laughing as he did.

"Malfoy!" Hermione came to herself and pushed him away, but not too violently.

"You thought I was going to smooch you like in first year, Granger? Wanted a kiss?" he teasted her.

Hermione blushed, but didn't just slam her door in his face. Instead, "everyone's reminiscing today," she said calmly, or pretending to be.

Malfoy could see her attempt and smirked, making a mental note that he'd just seen Hermione Granger blushing for her 'overly-thoughtfulness', "Yea, it's the end of our seven years finally," he said, suddenly feeling empty at the thought of it.

It wasn't that he would miss school. He hated it as much as his father did. But looking at this should-be-hateful-mudblood he'd known from the first day he had been here, he felt a sudden... he didn't know the word.

"That reminds me," Hermione said as she finally opened her door, "come in." She beckoned him into her room.

"You're letting a serpent into your room?" Malfoy sniggered as he made his first step into his room. Another mental note, on the very last day, she'd let him in.

Hermione snorted and walked straight to her drawer, "not like you'd kill me if I did."

"How should you know," he retorted with a chuckle, flopping down on her sofa and scanning the room, "nice room. Too good and bad it's the first and last time I'd be in here."

Hermione smiled as she took out the small package she had been keeping at the bottom of her drawer for years. She closed the drawer and turned around to him.

"I've got something to return to you," Hermione said, standing there not moving. She wasn't yet sure if he'd take it.

Malfoy was caught unawares. "Return? Me?" he thought.

Hermione walked over and knelt down on the rug before him. She took his hand. It sent him a shudder, though he couldn't tell why. And she put the piece of cloth in his hands.

"D" for Draco, Malfoy knew what it was at once. Cleanly washed by Hermione, it didn't have the expensive smell of cologne on it any longer. But still the emerald green cloth, the sliver linings, the embroidery of a snake on the corner. How could he not recognize it - his own made-to-measure handkerchief.

His pale white face couldn't hide the slight blushforming on his cheeks. At once he recalled the scene in their fourth year: Him, finding Hermione crying under a tree in the school grounds; him, having the strong urge to... hold her, a mudblood. Yes, that was how he convinced himself not to do so. But he had, nconciously walked over, only to see her look up and find him there. Her fearful eyes, as if seeing a monster. Not the eyes that his father described when non-pure-bloods looked at him with fear and respect; but eyes of fear and hate. Hate that told him she loved him not. It was that moment, he had realized that he actually loved a being he should never love. And he again sealed the seal he had broken. But before he did, for the last time - for the last time he promised himself - he did the last kindness he dared. That was the handkerchief that was now again in his hands. And everything was recalled.

Hermione noticed the change in him. The nose-up-in-the-air Malfoy suddenly looked as if he was lost for words. If it were Hermione before, this could be said a chance that she had waited for so long to insult Malfoy; but she wasn't. Instead she smiled and said the words she'd been wanting to say for so long, "Thank you for that."

Malfoy came back to his senses. Reflexively words ran out of his mouth, "This isn't mine." He regretted it at once.

So he didn't want it. Hermione widen her eyes then sighed. Again, the bad cycle again; Malfoy and she, the never ending-fighting circle. But she wanted to break it. For once, she didn't want to fight with him anymore.

"Why don't you want it back?" she asked.

"Because it's not mine. That's why, dumbhead," again his reply, reflexive. It's been seven years; the habit was hard to break. But it was getting hard to lie too. Malfoy didn't want to stay. The atmosphere between them was too hard to take. He stood up and headed for the door.

Hermione took back her aimless hand and placed the handkerchief on her bed. Instead she picked up the packet she took from the drawer and walked over to him. She stopped him at the door, showing it to him then stuffing it into his robe pocket.

"What's that?" Malfoy asked. He was curious. How come she's not firing back like usual? How come she's giving him a gift? Was this some kind of a joke on her part?

"A gift, for you," Hermione said, "after all we've been Head Prefects together for a year," she smiled, "for once I wish not to fight." They were her honest words, Malfoy knew it.

He smiled, only slightly. Keep your heart cold as stone, something told him in his mind. Yet another something said in his heart, go ahead, say thanks.

But there were no thanks that came from his throat. Instead his arms reached out unconsciously, wrapping around her, pulling her towards him, gently.

"Malfoy?" Hermione was very surprised. This wasn't like him at all.

He didn't say anything. For a second, he held her there. And the next, he let go quickly.

"We won't meet again," Malfoy said as a statement, his expressions cold.

Hermione tried collecting herself from the shock of his hug and wrapped her arms around herself as she replied, smiling weakly, "Maybe, maybe not."

Then for the first time he smiled a true smile, "Hopefully not." There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Noticing it, Hermione smiled.

Before she could say goodbye, Malfoy stepped out of her door, gently closing it behind him.

* * *

That back in there, was just too much to take. Malfoy closed his door behind him, almost with a bang. But he was cautious not to make Hermione aware of his anxiety. He'd just accepted her gift and held her in his arms - not by force of lust or wanting her disgust, but by the force of... caring - he hated that word - caring, for her. He didn't realize that he was capable of caring for another human being other than himself, all this time... It was too hard for him to accept his true feelings for Hermione. He sank down onto the dark green carpet at his door and put his head in his hands. What have you done, Draco Malfoy? He asked himself. What's wrong with you?

He looked up at him room, his eyes scanning across. Then they stopped; stopped at his wardrobe in the corner. Silently, he stood up and walked to the wardrobe, opening the doors, slowly. Inside were of course his clothes and some other garments, and then at the bottom, was an old sliver locker that he'd possessed ever since he came to Hogwarts. It was this he was finding, the silver box about the size of a Potions textbook. He had a sudden urge to open it. He hadn't in a long while.

Malfoy gulped slightly and took the box from the shelf. Reaching into his pockets, he found the key; at the same time, his fingers felt the gift Hermione gave him. He took her gift out first and slid down onto the floor again, slowly opening the packet. Inside was something hard and square. When it came out, Malfoy's eyes went wide, his jaw dropped. How could it be?

He placed - almost threw - the gift onto his bed and at once opened his silver box; with a click it opened, revealing its insides: books and CDs of all kinds that showed no sign they were made in the magical world, including some audio tapes and CDs of muggle classics. How did Granger know? He turned to stare at the CD of Coldplay she had given him. It was the very CD he who couldn't resist that day to talk to her when he saw her at the store. She wasn't spying on him or anything. How ironic, the one who he opened his heart up to, even for a little bit, was Hermione Granger; and the one who discovered his secret of secrets was Hermione Granger too. And she was no other, but a muggle. Malfoy couldn't help but laugh. Then there came tears, tears he had concealed ever since he could remember. It took time, but when he felt too tired to cry anymore of the tears, he was smiling, feeling somewhat released.

* * *

Hermione sat down on her bed, feeling some how, comfortable after Malfoy left. Not that she was glad he was gone, but just that she had finally felt that Malfoy wasn't treating her like an animal, but a human being. His embrace, though still she couldn't understand the meaning, was surely a sign that he, to a certain extent, had felt her as someone who he cared for, a friend. And that was what she had wished long from him: to stop the stupid fight because of their dissimilarity in bloodlines, and treat each other as they really wanted to. She hoped he'd like the CD, she knew he would.

There was a knock at the door. Hermione knew who it was, at once she hid Malfoy's handkerchief in her drawer. Not that there was anything dubious, but Fred wouldn't even like the fact she was being friendly with his family's greatest enemy.

"Come in."

"Did I just see Malfoy leave this room?" Fred asked as he entered the room.

Hermione just smiled, "we just had our last word after we've been working together this year."

Fred eyed her suspiciously and slowly sat down next to her, taking her hands, "sure he hadn't done anything to you?" he asked caringly.

She smiled and waved her head, leaning onto his shoulder.

Fred smiled, seemingly relaxed now that she did. He suddenly realized how long it was since they sat down like this, quietly, the whole world only to their own.

They couldn't meet each other until long holidays for these three years ever since he graduated Hogwarts. When Hermione reached Economia five days ago, they didn't have time because they had to leave at once for Hogwarts and Fred promised Hermione to get back by broom. (She had learnt what romantic is over the years) There was no space for rest until right then, right then when he was holding her close in his arms. He looked at her intently. She was getting more and more beautiful with every meeting.

"Hermione..." Fred's voice slowly trailed away. He laid her down on the soft mattress of her bed, lying closely beside her.

She crawled closer to his chest and breathed softly on his cheek as he gently caressed her in his arms. All the time, their eyes never left each other, his deep blue eyes staring into her chocolate brown ones. Fred whispered something in her ear sweetly. It started with a soft hum and slowly transformed into a song, yes, it's the song they'd been singing whenever they thought of each other.

_**If you wanna know...**_

**_Tomorrow morning I have to leave_**  
She smiled and giggled softly.

But wherever I may be

Best believe I'm thinking of you

I can't believe how much I love you

**_All we have is here tonight_**

We don't want to waste this time

Give me something to remember

Baby put your lips on mine

Fred leaned in, gently pressing his lip on hers.

**_And I'll love you, forever_**

Anytime that we find ourselves apart

Hermione smiled as their lips parted, singing along with him:

**_You just close your eyes_**

And you'll be here with me

Just look to your heart

Hermione touched his chest.

**_And that's where I'll be_**

**_If you just close your eyes_**

Till you're drifting away

You'll never be too far from me

If you close your eyes

Fred cuddled against her chest as Hermione softly sang it to him:

**_I know I'm gonna see you again_**  
Hermione reached into her pocket, pulling out the familiar music box that Fred had given to her, that day, when he left this place for his dream. He pulled her close, kissing her deeply on the lips, the music box slowly started to sing on its own:

But promise me that you won't forget

Cause as long as you remember

A part of us will be together

So even when you're fast asleep

Look for me inside your dreams

Keep believing in what we're sharing

And even when I'm not there to tell you

I'll, I'll love, love you forever

**_Anytime that I can't be where you are_**And Fred sang loudly with it, his passion overwhelming his body...

Just close your eyes

And you'll be here with me

Just look to your heart

And that's where I'll be

If you just close your eyes

Till you're drifting away

You'll never be too far from me

If you close your eyes

**_Is there anywhere that far?_**  
"If you close your eyes..."

Anytime you're feeling low

Is there anywhere that my love cannot reach?

OH NO

I could be anywhere on earth

It could be anywhere I'll be

Oh baby if you want to see

You just close your eyes

And you'll be here with me

Look to your heart

And that's where I'll be

If you just close your eyes

Till you're drifting away

You'll never be too far from me

* * *

"Ready, guys?" the Weasly twins shouted in glee. George's hand was on a button, Fred already steadying on his broom.

"Yeah!" they chorused, all on their brooms.

"Three, two, ONE, **DA BOMB!**"

With a giant puff of rainbow-colored smoke all the Gryffindor seventh year graduates and the twins shot up into the air screaming and shouting like mad. Fifty Gryffindors were circling the school building, screaming, shouting, swooshing and singing absurdly; down below there were thousands of Weasly's Wizarding Wheeze goods that shot out of the Bustle- Piggy-Bang and into the hands of all Hogwarts students reaching out for them.

"Free service! Celebration for our dear graduates' last day!" George laughed with joy as he watched them cheer.

"You call THAT chaos," Ginny laughed, pointing down at the school grounds swarmed with excited kids as she grasped tight to Harry's waist, "oh I'd bet Professor McGonagall will go crazy."

"Yea, I bet," Harry chuckled, and then swooshed into the wind with Ginny screaming behind him.

"This is insanely amazing, Fred!" Dean Thomas screamed as he tugged to his jazzy banner behind him with it written "Hasta la vista, Hogwarts!!" It was blowing crazily in the wind.

"I can imagine the Professor shrieking, 'I knew it was YOUR idea, Fred and George Weasly!' when we're landing," Hermione said, holding Fred around his waist and leaning onto his back.

Fred grinned, he could almost hear McGonagall's scream. That voice was oh- so inputted in his memory.

"Well, some people deserve to get high today, and some people deserve a wheeze of our Weasly's Wizarding Wheeze, don't you think?"

"And SOME PEOPLE need to advertise their merchandise," Hermione laughed, pinching his cheek playfully, "so next weekend to Hogsmeade; there'd be hundreds of students swarming to the WWW store!"

He laughed, giving her a kiss, "You know me, Herm."

There it was, Hogwarts below her feet. Hermione blinked her eyes trying to see the old building clearly in the adverse wind. Here was where she met all her best friends, her first boyfriend, those who she loved, hated and had all those feelings back to her... and the one man who had her heart. What would I have been if I didn't choose Hogwarts? Would I have been who I am today?

Hermione knew the answer as she turned her ring in her finger. She held her boyfriend tightly, feeling the warmth of his body.

"I love you, Fred."

He smiled.

"I love you too."

**THE END **


End file.
